Witnesses to Jesus’ IdentityJohn 5:31-49

If you have your bibles, open up with me to John 5 and let me introduce our passage this morning…. again we will be in John 5 and we’re looking at the Witnesses to Jesus’ Identity. Every trial has witnesses and Jesus is on trial in John 5 and so this morning we hear from the Witnesses to Jesus’ Identity.

In the first few verses of John 5, Jesus performed a stunning miracle, the fourth sign in the Book of Signs. He spoke some simple words “Get up, take up your bed and walk”. He spoke those simple words to an anonymous, helpless, hopeless, paralyzed man at the Pool of Bethesda. And muscles and tendons and ligaments that had not been used for 38 years—they were long atrophied and weak — immediately became strong and powerful. The man at once took up his bed and walked. It was a stunning miracle.

The only problem was that it occurred on the Sabbath. And this rattled the religious leaders.

They came to Jesus and confronted him. And Jesus told them that he felt free to work on the Sabbath because His father worked on the Sabbath—in other words the Sabbath law didn’t apply to His Father and therefore it didn’t apply to Him. Specifically Jesus said this: “My father is working until now and I am working.”1

Well that was enough to turn the religious leaders into religious prosecutors. In their mind a crime had been committed—Jesus had broken the Sabbath and he had made himself equal to God!2 He was guilty of blasphemy. So in the first 18 verses of John 5, a miracle lands Jesus in hot water.

Well the dominoes keep falling. In verses 19-30, which Justin covered last week, Jesus clarified the nature of his relationship to God the Father. And in no uncertain words he communicated that he was equal to God.

1 John 5:172 John 5:18

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In verse 20 Jesus emphasized that he was in a love relationship with the Father. One author suggested that God the Father is the great Christocentric (that is God the Father is the great Christ-centered one) and Jesus is the great Theocentric (that is Jesus is the great God-the-Father centered one)3 …the Father is focused on Christ and Christ is focused on the Father. And I couldn’t help but imagine the Father and Son bug-eyed for each other, kind of holding hands, turned toward each other walking along, each thinking to himself, I can’t take my eyes off of you….Jesus and the Father loving each other. Oh for us to get a glimpse of the trinity and realize that it is to him/them that we will one day go!

In verses 19-30, Jesus being equal to the Father also emphasized “that he was submissive to the Father’s agenda, verse 19”4 Justin said it this way “ Jesus only always ever (did) exactly what his Father direct(ed) him to do, nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else.” In other words whenever Jesus did something, he was always following his Father’s lead. So if we think back to the miracle that begins the chapter then we could surmise that Jesus entered the area of the pool and discerned the Father’s leadership and activity in that anonymous man’s life and he, following the Father’s lead, moved toward the man.

Well in verses 19-30, Jesus also emphasized a whole bunch more. He emphasized that he was given authority to grant life to whom he would (verse 21), he was granted authority to judge (verse 22, 27 and 30), and authority to raise the dead on the last day (verse 28-29). And just as the Father had life in himself, verse 26, so the Father had granted the son also to have life in himself. There’s a little word that communicates the idea of having life in himself—aseity. … ‘from’… ‘self’….. Negatively it means that Jesus is uncaused, that he depends on no other being for the source of His existence. Positively, it affirms that Jesus the Son, like God the Father, is completely self-sufficient [2] In other words Jesus is God.

Now think about the list of things Jesus has said about himself—He has life in himself, He has the authority to give life, He has the authority to judge, and He has the authority to raise the dead. Jesus is clearly God. I can see why one author calls the last thirty verses of John 5, verses 17-47, “Jesus’ Divinity Sermon.”5

Now I bring that up to suggest that you and I book mark this section of scripture in our thinking about Jesus. Where do we go in our bibles when we think of heaven? Revelation 21 and 22. Where do we go in our bibles when we think of God as our shepherd? Psalm 23 Where do we go in our bible when we want to think of the greatness of God? Isaiah 40 (or Job). Where do we go in our Bible when we want to be reminded of the effects of the Fall? Genesis 3. Where do we go when we want to be reminded about the resurrection body we will inherit? I Corinthians 15. Where do we go in our bible to reminded that big fish make great taxis? Jonah. Well here’s my point—where do we go in our bibles when we want to explore the divinity of Jesus? Book mark this in your thinking--the last 30 verses of John 5. The last 30 verses of John 5 are Jesus’s Divinity Sermon.

3 Bruner, page 3374 Justin Langley Sermon, “Hearing the Powerful Voice of Jesus,” John 5:19-30

5 Bruner uses this term

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Well Jesus, having clarified the nature of his relationship to God the Father, turns to other witnesses which corroborate and substantiate what he has said. And calling other witnesses seems to fit a trial theme perfectly.

Let me read the passage that we’ll explore today and then we’ll walk through it in more detail.

I’ll begin reading in verse 31…John 5:31

31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

In the verses we’ve just read, Jesus proceeds to call witnesses so to speak to corroborate what he has said about himself and his relationship with the Father.

Here’s a list of the witnesses he mentions…

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Look with me at verse 31…

Verse 31--31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true.

In verse 31, Jesus certainly doesn’t mean that if he says anything about himself it must be false. I think He’s admitting what he and everyone else knows about Jewish legal procedure. It was a well-known fact that the testimony of several witnesses was critical to determine a person’s innocence or guilt.

Listen to Deuteronomy 17:6 6 On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness. And again the same in Deuteronomy 19:15: 15 “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established. The idea of needing several witnesses to condemn someone was expanded in judicial settings to say that more than one person was needed to confirm someone’s testimony.6

We’ll see this in Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin when we get toward the end of the book of John.7 The religious leaders will do everything they can to find witnesses who agree that Jesus is guilty because witnesses were critical to the process.

Well Jesus mentions a first witness in verse 32--32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

Now some suggest this witness is John the Baptist. 8 How so? Well they look ahead to the next three verses, verses 33-35, which mention John the Baptist. But because Jesus discounts the witness of John the Baptist a bit in verses 33-35--and we’ll talk about that in a moment—I don’t think the Baptizer is the ‘other’ witness John has in mind in verse 32.

Others suggest that this mysterious witness is the Spirit. And there are several good reasons to lead us to think that this witness could be the Spirit.9

But most students of scripture suggest this “witness” in verse 32 is the Father. 10 One reason is that the Jews typically didn’t mention the name of God—hence the mystery. 11 And a second reason is that Jesus’ self-testimony is in reality ‘the joint testimony of the Father and the Son’12 Now what do I mean by that? Well think about what Jesus has been saying in the preceding verses. Didn’t Jesus repeatedly

6 Burge, page 179, (Mishnah, Ketuboth 2:9)7 Kostenberger, page 1918 Crysostrom as cited in Morris as cited in Kosternberger, page1919 Bruner suggests that this witness is the Spirit because the ‘Spirit is the witness-bearer par excellence in the Gospel and letters to John” and John 15:26 sounds a lot like John 5:32 and the Spirit is formally introduced as ‘another’ in John 14:2610 Kostenberger, page 191, “That ‘another’ refers to God the father represents a broad consensus among commentators: Ridderbos, Morris, Moloney, Beasley-Murray, Schnackenburg, Barrett, and Brown” Carson believes this witness is the Father too, page 26011 Kostenberger, page 19112 Beasley-Murray, G. R. (2002). John (Vol. 36, p. 78). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.

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suggest that He was always working and speaking in concert with the Father? So the idea is that when he spoke the Father was bearing witness with him. Let’s fast forward to some verses from John 8 which seem to say that very thing.

Look at what Jesus seems to argue in verses 17-18-- that his self-testimony is in reality the joint testimony of the Father and the Son. So summarizing then, most students of scripture thing this other unnamed mysterious witness is the Father.

In verses 33-35, Jesus mentions the witness of John the Baptist. Look at verse 33…

33 You sent to John…

Now let’s stop and ask, “When did the religious leaders send to John the Baptist?” Back in John chapter 1, verse 19, the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites to question John...

Continuing in verse 33… and he …John…had borne witness to the truth….

What did John say about Jesus back in chapter 1? He said that there was one who came after him that was stunningly worthy…. the strap of whose sandals he was unworthy to untie (John 1:27). He also bore witness about Jesus that the Spirit descend(ed) from heaven and… remained on him” (John 1:32). He also bore witness that Jesus was the son of God” (John 1:34).

Powerful testimony about Jesus! But what’s interesting is that Jesus seems to down play John the Baptist’s testimony in verses 34-36

34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp13, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John…

13 For the image of the lamp, cf. 2 Sam 21:17; Ps 132:17–18.

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Indeed John played an important role. He was a burning and shining lamp…and the idea of a lamp communicates that John’s witness was small and of a temporary nature. He was a lamp that shed light on the light to come. And the Jewish people were willing to rejoice in John’s light for a time. John the Baptist’s ministry indeed “generated considerable Messianic excitement”14. But that excitement, that rejoicing was short-lived.

And even though everything John the Baptist said was true, Jesus couldn’t depend upon it to establish who he was in the eyes of men. “His claim to be equal with God rested on surer ground than the testimony of a man.”15 So it seems, verse 34 tells us, that Jesus brings up the Baptist’s witness, not for his own sake, but for the sake of his hearers, that they might be saved.16

Well in verse 36 Jesus transitions from the witness of John the Baptist to a third witness—the works which the Father had given him to accomplish.

36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.

The works that Jesus has been accomplishing so far in the book of John provide far more weightier testimony about Jesus than John the Baptist’s testimony. The works include all of the signs performed by Jesus up to this point…the turning of water into wine at Cana, the cleansing of the temple in John 2, the healing of the official’s son in John 4 and the healing of the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda at the start of John 5. Each of those and all of those provide really weighty testimony to the identity of Jesus. A man couldn’t have done those works! Only God could do those works. But we could add that the works of Jesus ultimately included the rest of the Jesus story, the other signs and Jesus’s climactic work--his death, resurrection and ascension on our behalf.

And because Jesus did nothing more and nothing less than what the Father gave him to do, “the works he did were particularly divine—they are the works of God”17.

14 Carson, page26115 Pink16 Carson, page 26017 Carson, page 262

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37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me… The tense of the verb ‘has borne witness’ points to the confirmed state and continuing significance of the Father’s witness.18 In other words the Father’s word continues.

We don’t really know what Jesus is referring to here. The Father did bear witness of Jesus’ identity at his baptism (You are my beloved Son, with You I am well pleased19) and at his transfiguration (This is my beloved son, listen to him) but those important events are not included in John’s gospel.

It might be best to think of these words in verse 37 as a general reference to all of the Father’s witness bearing. 20

Jesus’s assessment of the religious leaders’ openness to God comes next in verse 37 and it’s not a pretty picture… His voice you have never heard, Jesus says, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you…and as a result you do not believe the one whom he has sent.

In a sense Jesus is saying this…

You religious leaders never heard his voice like some of your ancestors, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Samuel, and Elijah. You’ve never seen his form in one sense or another like Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and Isaiah did. 21 And his words don’t abide in you…. , Your nothing like the God-fearing psalmist, Psalm 119:11 “I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you”

And how do I know that what I’ve said is true? Jesus says, …you do not believe the one whom he has sent.

Jesus then goes on in verse 39-40 to tell them their problem was in the way they approached the scriptures.

39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

The Jews in Jesus’s time were uber diligent in their study of the Torah.22

The famous first century rabbi, Hillel, said this:

18 Kostenburger, page 19219 Luke 3:2220 Carson suggests this, page 26221 These lists from Kostenberger, page 19222 Kostenberger, page 193

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“ More flesh, more worms… more wealth, more care…more menservants, more thieving…more Torah, more life. Whoso hath gained a good name has gained it for himself, whoso hath gained the words of the Torah has gained for himself life in the world to come”23

And then another rabbi, Akiba, writing later said:

“God said: the word is not an ‘idle’ thing for you, Deut 32:47; and if it is idle for you, why is it so? Because you do not know how to search it, for you do not energetically occupy yourself with it. For it is your life. When is it your life? When you exert yourself with it” (Gen. Rab. 1.19, cited by Schlatter, Der Glaube im NT, 57). 24

The rabbis had come to believe that the life was in the words.

Imagine that you were standing on the top floor of a skyscraper in a large city looking out on the view below. The view is incredible. The sun is going down. The sunset is spectacular. You’re drinking it all in. And then a little man comes up and says, “Isn’t this a wonderful window!... I’d love to find out more about it, how it was processed, it’s thickness….Maybe I can find someone who can give me more information about the window”….and off he walks. You’d think to yourself, “That guy’s missing it! He’s focused on the window rather than the view that the window provides”25

Well the Jews in Jesus’ time were missing it too. They were focused on the window rather than the

spectacular view of….Jesus…. that their scriptures afforded.

The Scriptures were given by God to witness to the Messiah, to Christ, so that people might come to him and through him gain…life. To search the Scriptures and reject their testimony of Christ is to frustrate the purpose of God in giving it to them.26

One author said this… “The study of the Bible that is not preoccupied with the Bible’s Messiah is mis-occupied, misplaced bible study. Let us watch like hawks that our own ‘pouring over’ Scripture has no other goal than to know Christ. The Bible itself is not life. But the Bible’s center and point is Life and is Life-giving: the Lord Jesus, Messiah…every Old and New Testament text must be brought to kneel before the Messiah, scripture’s center and power, before it can be preached as a word of God”27

The Scriptures of both covenants bear testimony to Christ. That is their glory. It is also their limitation. They point to him, who alone can bind us to the Father and give the life.28

23 From Kent Hughes sermon on this passage24 Beasley-Murray, G. R. (2002). John (Vol. 36, pp. 78–79). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.25 Taken from a Kent Hughes sermon on this passage26 Beasley-Murray, G. R. (2002). John (Vol. 36, p. 79). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.27 Bruner, page 34128 Beasley-Murray, G. R. (2002). John (Vol. 36, p. 81). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.

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I want to return to this idea that the Old Testament scriptures witness of Jesus and develop it more fully in a moment.

But in verse 41 Jesus turns the tables on his accusers. And he begins to prosecute them. {And as I understand it this was not unusual in Jewish courts—“Jewish trials worked to uncover the truth and accusers who made false claims in court could sometimes find themselves” on the defense.29}

In verses 41-44 Jesus accuses his opponents of a ‘spiritual illness’30 which kept them from believing in him.

Verse 42 …They didn’t have the love of God within them.Verse 43 …They readily accepted false teachers, false Messiahs who came in their own name even

though Jesus, the true Messiah came in his Father’s name.And verse 44…they loved to receive glory from one another rather than receiving glory from God

Look at verse 44…44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

In verses 45-47, Jesus further argues that he doesn’t need to accuse them to the Father. The one who will accuse them is Moses….someone they would never expect.

45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope.

Now interestingly enough, Jewish sources at the time31 tell us the Jews believed that just as Moses acted as their mediator and intercessor in the golden calf incident—remember how Moses beseeched God on Israel’s behalf when they had sinned?—so he continued to intercede for them in heaven. There is even evidence that Jews looked for Moses to act as their intercessor in the final judgment.32 They really did set their hope on Moses.

But Jesus stated that on the contrary, Moses would be their accuser, not defender. Why? Verse 46… for he wrote of (Jesus).

Look at verses 46 and 47…For if you believed Moses you would believe me, for he wrote of me 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

So let’s look again at the slide that listed the Witnesses to Jesus’ Identity.

29 Burge, page 18030 Burge uses this phrase, page 18031 As. Mos. 12:6 as quoted by Beasley-Murray, G.R (2002). John (Vol. 36, pp. 77-81) Dallas: Word Inc32 Meeks, The Prophet-King, 161 as quoted by Beasley-Murray

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I want to further explore the last witness to Jesus’ identity –the Scriptures--before we close.

A year ago if you had come up to me and asked me “How is Jesus spoken about or pictured in the Old Testament scriptures?”

I would have said something like this:

“Well I know that many of the prophets predicted specific things about Jesus’ life--that he would be born in Bethlehem, that he would be pierced for our iniquities, lots of other prophecies you know… And I know that the sacrificial system looks forward, points forward to Christ’s death on the cross… and I know there are some types and symbols that point forward to Christ…. “

Well pretty quickly I might stutter a bit and become silent as I had came to the end of my answer.

Well a book that we’ve read recently as a leadership team, Show Them Jesus, along with some key scriptures—several from our passage this morning—lead me to believe that the witness to Jesus in the Old Testament is more pervasive than any of us might at first glance believe.

I’d like to explore that idea a bit-- that the witness to Jesus in the Old Testament is more pervasive than any of us might at first glance believe

From our passage, verse 39 ….39 You search the Scriptures (notice scriptures is plural) because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they …the scriptures…the Old Testament scriptures… that bear witness about me ,

And then verses 46-47 For if you believed Moses you would believe me, for he wrote of me 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

Now we believe that Moses wrote the Pentateuch, the first five books of the bible—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy… and Jesus is saying that those books speak of him { I’m immediately reminded of the snake on a stick story in the book of Numbers which Jesus referred to in his discussion with Nicodemus, John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up… a bronze serpent on a pole in Numbers 21 pointed forward to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to deliver the people of God.}

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Now to broaden the Old Testament witness of Jesus beyond the first five books of the Old Testament, let’s remind ourselves what Jesus said to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24. I think I’d like you to turn there so that you can see this for yourself…

Starting in Luke 24:25 ….25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

And then look down to verse 44…44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures…

Moses, the Prophets, and Psalms….what books of the Old Testament would those categories represent?

Again Moses would be Genesis through Deuteronomy.

The prophets would include both the “former prophets” (the historical books Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, and 1-2 Kings) and the “latter prophets” (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets, Hosea to Malachi).

Psalms is representative of the third grouping by the Jews, called the Writings (The book of Daniel was put in this category)

Verse 44 again from Luke 24…. 44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

A note in an article at the front of the ESV Study bible says this: “The Old Testament as a whole, through its promises, its symbols, and its pictures of salvation, looks forward to the actual accomplishment of salvation that took place once for all in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ”33

Christ-centered bible study is honored by the church’s best teachers…

Augustine—“ Read all the Old Testament prophetic books; and if Christ be not understood (in them), what can you find so (tasteless) and silly? Understand Christ in them (however), and what you read not only has a taste, but (it) even inebriates thee…”

33 ESV Study bible, page 23

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John Calvin—The Scriptures should be read with the aim of finding Christ in them. Whoever turns aside from his object (ie finding Christ in the scriptures), even though he wears himself out all his life in learning, will never reach the knowledge of the truth. For how can we be wise apart from the Wisdom (capital W) of God?”

One modern scholar—“The scriptures of both covenants bear testimony to Christ. That is their glory. It is also their limitation”34

And then finally John Piper—“ You can’t learn very much about Jesus if you throw away your Old Testament”35

Well let’s illustrate this idea— that the witness to Jesus in the Old Testament is more pervasive than any of us might at first glance believe –from the book of John

I’m going to mention some references in John and I want you to listen for the connection with the Old Testament

John 1:45 --45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

John 2:17--after the cleansing of the temple-- 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” …which is Psalm 69:9

John 3:10—to Nicodemus-- 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? …Jesus insinuates that the new life…being born again should be understood by Nicodemus because his familiarity with the scriptures

John 5:46-- 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.

John 6:31--31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” …..and then later in John 6 Jesus said, “I am the bread of life”

John 6:45-- 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— … this is Is. 54:13

John 7:38 -- 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” …this is Isaiah 12:3

John 7:42-- 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” …this is Micah 5:2

34 Beasley-Murray as quoted by Bruner , page 34635 http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/if-you-believed-moses-you-would-believe-me

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John 10:34-35-- 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— this is Psalm 82;6

And John 12:37-41 makes reference to Isaiah 6:10 and Isaiah 53:1

And then quickly….

John 13:18 refers to Ps. 41:9

John 15:25 refers to Ps. 35:19

John 17:12 refers to Ps. 109:8

John 19:24 refers to Ps. 22:18

John 19:28 refers to Ps. 69:2

John 19:36 refers to Ps. 34:20

John 19:37 refers to Zech. 12:10

John 20:9 refers to Psalm 16:10

Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms really do speak of Jesus. The witness to Jesus in the Old Testament is more pervasive than any of us might at first glance believe

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Jesus really is who he says he is. And what he says is true….

So what’s written about Jesus in 2 Corinthians 1:20 is true….

2 Corinthians 1:20 --20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

And what he says in John 5: 28–29 is true…28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

And what Jesus says about anxiety is true…

Matthew 6:25–26

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25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

And what he says about heaven is true… John 14:1–2 (ESV)

14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

And what he says about the end is true….

Revelation 22:12–13… 12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Let’s pray.

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