The preaching text for Sunday will be John 5:31-47. This chapter introduces us to the increased opposition that Jesus will face for the remainder of his earthly life, particularly from the Jewish religious leaders. The confrontation in our text stems from Jesus’ work in healing an invalid on the Sabbath, commanding him to stand up, take his mat and go. These actions were perceived as a violation of the Sabbath, so the religious leaders accuse Jesus of being a law breaker. Jesus’ response to the accusation is to say, “My Father isn’t in violation for his work on the Sabbath, so neither am I”. In the eyes of the religious leaders Jesus has just upgraded his criminal status from law breaker to blasphemer. They don’t for one second believe that Jesus’ claim to be equal with the Father is true. Anyone accused of a crime that proclaims their innocence should be given the opportunity to provide witnesses that support their claim. Well, this is exactly what Jesus does in our text. However, in providing the witnesses that support his claim, Jesus is taking the accusation made against him and turning it around on the religious leaders. They are, in fact, the ones who are guilty of dishonoring God and it is because they do not honor Jesus. In these verses Jesus gets right down to the bottom of their unbelief, and right down to the bottom of our unbelief as well. How is it exactly that the most religious people around are the ones missing the Messiah that is right in front of them? May the Lord bless us by giving us hearts to understand and obey His Word!
Sermon Title: “Getting To The Heart Of Unbelief”
Sermon Text: John 5:31-47
Meditation Passage: Jeremiah 31:31-34
Call To Worship: Psalm 104:31-34
Benediction: 2 Corinthians 13:14
Songs For Sunday:
How Rich A Treasure We Possess