1 John - Learning to Love: The Witnesses
Pastor Phil Moser
August 21st, 2022
Pastor Phil Moser
August 21st, 2022
5:6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; 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. 5:7 For there are three that testify: 5:8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 5:9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 5:10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 5:11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 5:12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
5:6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; 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. 5:7 For there are three that testify: 5:8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 5:9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 5:10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 5:11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 5:12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
The Witnesses
(1)Look at the Events
(2) Listen to the Voices
Look at the Events:
•Christ’s BAPTISM reveals his identity, and his CRUCIFIXION reveals our need.
Matthew 3:13-15
Matthew 3:13-15
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
gotquestions.org
…the public baptism recorded for all future generations the perfect embodiment of the triune God revealed in glory from heaven. The testimony directly from heaven of the Father’s pleasure with the Son and the descending of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus (Matthew 3:16-17) is a beautiful picture of the trinitarian nature of God. It also depicts the work of the Father, Son, and Spirit in the salvation of those Jesus came to save. The Father loves the elect from before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4); He sends His Son to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10); and the Spirit convicts of sin (John 16:8) and draws the believer to the Father through the Son. All the glorious truth of the mercy of God through Jesus Christ is on display at His baptism.
1 Timothy 1:14-15
14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
gotquestions.org
…the public baptism recorded for all future generations the perfect embodiment of the triune God revealed in glory from heaven. The testimony directly from heaven of the Father’s pleasure with the Son and the descending of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus (Matthew 3:16-17) is a beautiful picture of the trinitarian nature of God. It also depicts the work of the Father, Son, and Spirit in the salvation of those Jesus came to save. The Father loves the elect from before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4); He sends His Son to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10); and the Spirit convicts of sin (John 16:8) and draws the believer to the Father through the Son. All the glorious truth of the mercy of God through Jesus Christ is on display at His baptism.
1 Timothy 1:14-15
14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
Look at the Events:
•Christ’s BAPTISM reveals his identity, and his CRUCIFIXION reveals our need.
•Christ’s BAPTISM reveals the source of his power, and his CRUCIFIXION reveals the source of ours.
Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 12:22, 24
22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw… 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”
Matthew 12:25, 31
25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, … no city or house divided against itself will stand… 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 12:22, 24
22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw… 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”
Matthew 12:25, 31
25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, … no city or house divided against itself will stand… 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
Look at the Events:
•Christ’s BAPTISM reveals his identity, and his CRUCIFIXION reveals our need.
•Christ’s BAPTISM reveals the source of his power, and his CRUCIFIXION reveals the source of ours.
Galatians 2:20-21
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
…the person Paul was before he trusted Christ, with all his sinful goals and proud, self-exalting desires, came to a decisive end—he “died.” It is no longer I who live…means his own personal interests and goals no longer direct his life; rather, Christ who lives in me now directs and empowers all that he does. The ESV Study Bible
Galatians 2:20-21
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
…the person Paul was before he trusted Christ, with all his sinful goals and proud, self-exalting desires, came to a decisive end—he “died.” It is no longer I who live…means his own personal interests and goals no longer direct his life; rather, Christ who lives in me now directs and empowers all that he does. The ESV Study Bible
Look at the Events:
•Christ’s BAPTISM reveals his identity, and his CRUCIFIXION reveals our need.
•Christ’s BAPTISM reveals the source of his power, and his CRUCIFIXION reveals the source of ours.
The Witnesses
(1)Look at the Events
(2) Listen to the Voices
5:7 For there are three that testify: 5:8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 5:9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.
Listen to the Voices
Listen to the Voices
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
John the Baptist
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16)
The Apostle Peter
"He is the Son of God” (Acts 9:19)
The Apostle Paul
…and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”(Matt. 3:17)
God the Father
5:10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.
John the Baptist
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16)
The Apostle Peter
"He is the Son of God” (Acts 9:19)
The Apostle Paul
…and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”(Matt. 3:17)
God the Father
5:10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.
The Witnesses
(1)Look at the Events
(2) Listen to the Voices
(3) Live the Life
5:11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 5:12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
…the doctrine of the atonement means that God himself bears our sins and shows that the final reality in the universe is his sin-bearing, pardoning love…God’s character is sin-bearing love.
Dr. Howard Marshall
…the doctrine of the atonement means that God himself bears our sins and shows that the final reality in the universe is his sin-bearing, pardoning love…God’s character is sin-bearing love.
Dr. Howard Marshall