The Son Gives Life and Brings Judgment (John 5:19-29)
At its heart, this is a response to the Jews that want to kill Jesus. And He does nothing to make them not want to kill Him. The things that He says here further enlighten hearers to the relationship Jesus has with God.
Last week we saw that Jesus claimed equality with God. Here we will see something similar. Today, we will see that Jesus and the Father are completely united, in complete harmony, because God the Father and God the Son are One.
In the Doctrine of the Trinity, we understand that there are three persons of the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Today we are going to get a glimpse into that relationship. We will see that God the Son and God the Father act in complete accord. And that the Son judges and saves.
Jesus Does Only What the Father Does (John 5:19-20)
Here, Jesus speaks of the relationship between He and the Father. And the relationship is one of complete unity and harmony.
Jesus states that He does nothing of His own accord and that He only does what the Father is doing (John 5:19). The Son is not off on His own doing what He wants to do. He and the Father are of the same accord, in complete agreement and harmony. And because the Father has this special love for the Son, the Father shows the Son all that He is doing (John 5:20).
So, what did Jesus mean when He said that they would see “greater works than these” (John 5:20). What kind of works would be greater than causing an invalid of 38 years to be able to carry his bed and walk home. And it is likely the case that Jesus is also talking about water being turned into wine. Remember, they also know about that now.
Jesus will explain the greater works. And it is the salvation of people and the judgment to come. Those greater things would be done in full view of everyone as Jesus accomplished salvation in front of the onlooking crowd.
We often think about three persons as we experience three persons in our lives. We sometimes picture the Trinity as being three men that walk into a room and talk with each other. But this is not how Scripture discusses the relationship between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
God exists far beyond our comprehension. We understand that very well. God is Spirit and He doesn’t have a body like we do. Therefore, God exists on an entirely different plane than we do. And when we consider this, God’s differentness comes to the forefront.
You and I exist as one person. There is only one person in the being of Dwain. And because I exist as I do, no other person can be a part of the being of Dwain. But God exists differently than I do. He exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And here we have a description of the relationship between the Father and the Son. What we find plainly described to us here today is that God the Father and God the Son are completely united in all their doings.
Within the One being of God the three divine persons exist, not as three independent persons but as one being.
The Son does only what He sees the Father doing. The Son knows all that the Father is doing.
And I have a few examples that we have in Scripture that help us to understand this relationship.
In the creation of the world all three persons of the Trinity were active. God the Father planned the creation of the world. God the Holy Spirit was there hovering over the primordial chaotic mass, and the Son created all things.
In your salvation, God the Father planned our redemption. God the Son carried it out by taking on human flesh, living, and dying for us. And God the Holy Spirit applies it to us in the New Birth.
Those are examples that we find in Scripture that help us to understand that the three persons of God are completely united.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one and act as one. And this is seen in the Son’s activity in the world.
Jesus Does Only What the Father Does: He Gives Life (John 5:21, 24-26, 29)
The conversation continues in much the same way. It is an explanation of how it is that Jesus does only what the Father does. The Father gives life and the Son gives life to whom He wills (John 5:21). This discussion begins with physical life. And certainly, we will see Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead at the end of the Gospel of John. But it quickly becomes obvious that this is more of a discussion about eternal life. And this is seen as the discussion moves forward.
The person that hears Jesus’s Word and believes in God will have eternal life. Now, hearing here does not just mean “hear”. Obviously this means to give a favorable hearing. That is, to be in agreement with what is said. And it these people that have “passed from death to life” (John 5:24). And the dead will hear and live (John 5:25).
Read this carefully and think about the Old Testament and you’ll quickly realize that this is an allusion to Ezekiel 37.
“1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. 11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.”” (Ezekiel 37:1-14 ESV)
Those dead in their sins will be raised to life. The countless numbers of those dead in rebellion against God will be raised to eternal life. That is an incredible statement. And Jesus stays right here as He continues this response. These truly are greater things.
How is it that this could be? It is because the Father has life in Himself and the Son has life in Himself.
God is the only being in the entire Universe that has life in Himself. He created life form nothing and everything else has to have something form itself to create life.
My wife and I created two lives together, but it is really from borrowed material. God created us in such a way that we could create a life. But this does not mean that I have life in myself. I can’t create from nothing or bring dead things to life. I can only give part of my self to my wife and create life. And I definitely do not have the ability to give eternal life. God is the only being in all the universe that has life in Himself. He created life from nothing. And nothing or no one else can do that.
And again, this is not something that the Son has on His own. It has been granted to Him by the Father.
Then Jesus says,
“for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28-29 ESV)
Texts like this one are often mangled by those that wish our salvation to be dependent upon our own personal righteousness. Don’t do that. Read it as part of a whole conversation and see the connection to the earlier statement about faith. The person that hears the words of the Lord has life. The person that turns from ruling their own life and trusts in the Savior has life.
The truth is that God does a work in us. And His people will walk in righteousness. But this does not mean that our justification is not based upon our work. It is based upon the work of Jesus. It is based upon what Jesus Christ did for us.
Jesus gives life. It is through Jesus Christ alone that we have eternal life.
This is the truth that I hope we see clearly from our text today. Jesus gives life. And it is only in Jesus that we can have eternal life. To disown the Son is to disown the Father. To reject Jesus is to reject the Father. To be outside of Christ means to be outside of salvation.
The Jew that reads his Bible and misses Christ, misses the Father as well.
The Muslim that reads about Jesus and rejects His being God and Messiah, misses the Father as well.
Jesus and the Father are one. And it is in Jesus that we have access to the Father.
There is something that you likely do often that illustrates this quite well. You just may not understand why it illustrates this well.
Why do our prayers end in “In Christ’s name I pray. Amen”? I’ll tell you why. We understand that it is only through Jesus Christ that we have access to God.
God the Son took on human flesh and accomplished our salvation for us. He did it through accomplishing all righteousness on our behalf, dying on the cross for us, and rising from the grave. Our response to that is not to look at our own works, but to trust in Him and Him alone for our redemption.
It is only through the finished work of Christ that I can call God “Father”. It is He who brings me into His family. And so, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.
Jesus has the right to give eternal life and He gives it to all who hear His Word and believe.
Would you be part of God’s family? Would you have access to God? Would you have eternal life? Hear His Word and believe.
As Christians, we begin to think about those around us. We want to see people come to faith in Christ. We want to see the Kingdom of God expand here in Conway and abroad. Would we see that take place? Then declare the word of Christ to others. Declare His grace and mercy. Call upon people to believe in Him.
There is coming a day in which the tombs will open at the Word of the Lord and those that believe in Him will rise to eternal life. And those that reject Him will be lost forever. On that great day, how many people will you be bringing to Heaven with you!
It’s difficult to have regular Bible studies with our children. It’s monotonous and often difficult. But would you let your children grow up in your home without hearing the gospel declared to them?
It’s difficult to talk with neighbors about Jesus. But would you let them go to Hell forever without ever hearing of Jesus who rescues from sin and death.
Jesus has life in Himself. In Him alone is there redemption, salvation from sin and death. Let’s act like it.
Jesus Does Only What the Father Does: He Judges the World (John 5:22-23, 25, 27-29)
Notice also that the Father has given all judgment to the Son (John 5:22). And Jesus also gives to us the purpose for this. It is so that all would honor the Son (John 5:23).
At this time it was thought that the Father did every act of judgment. And it was also understood that all would sit at the judgment seat of the Father. But we find here that all will be judged by the Son. And that is a terrifying thought.
I get frustrated when a mass shooter kills himself because I want him to face justice. It feels as if he short circuits that somehow when he shoots himself. But here is the truth of the matter. All will be judged. All will find their selves before the judgment seat of Christ.
“Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;” (Romans 14:10 ESV)
Those who have trusted in Christ will rise to eternal life (John 5:25). Our works will be judged. This will happen. But all those that have truly trusted in Him will have eternal life.
Those who have rejected Christ and walked in wickedness will pay for their wickedness in judgment. They will find terror at the judgment seat of Christ. But those who have trusted in Him will rise to eternal life (John 5:27-29).
Jesus’s words to those needing to hear a defense of His relationship with the Father are clear. You’ll either hear His Word and believe in Him or face His judgment on the last day.
He is the Son, one with the Father, He’s been granted life in Himself, and He’s been made judge over all.
There’s a sign outside of a church here in town that says that Jesus didn’t come to condemn. It should say, Jesus didn’t come the first time to condemn. Because He is certainly going to do it when He comes the second time.
The first time Jesus came, He came to save.
The second time He comes, it will be to conquer and to damn.
The first time Jesus came, it was in humility.
The second time Jesus comes, it is with the blood of those who oppose Him up to the bridals of His horse (Revelation 19:11-16)
Jesus came the first time to lay down His life for the sins of others. When He comes again, it will be to hold people accountable for their rebellion.
When Jesus comes again, it will not be like the first time. The people will cry out to be hidden from the wrath of the Lamb (Revelation 6:16).
Conclusion
Your eternity hinges upon Jesus Christ. And this is the case because God wanted it to be so. God the Son is not working with His own plan. God the Father and Son are One. And there is salvation in no one else, only in Jesus Christ. You cannot be right with God without faith in Jesus Christ.
Have you trusted in Christ?