The Three Witnesses

Josh Elliott

John's Letters • Sermon • Submitted a month ago • Presented a month ago

1 John 5:1–12

Baptism

Crucifixion

Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

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Notes

Transcript

Introduction

Illustration: The importance of and unreliability of eyewitness testimony in court - the old Testament’s solution: All matters must be established by two or three witnesses, reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 18. What matter could be more important than who Christ is, and who we are in Christ? So who are our three witnesses to these facts? Let’s look at our text for this morning:

1 John 5:1–12 CSB

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of him. This is how we know that we love God’s children: when we love God and obey his commands. For this is what love for God is: to keep his commands. And his commands are not a burden, because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith. Who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? Jesus Christ—he is the one who came by water and blood, not by water only, but by water and by blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement. If we accept human testimony, God’s testimony is greater, because it is God’s testimony that he has given about his Son. The one who believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. The one who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

So for the Burtt’s Corner crowd and anyone else who may have missed it, for the past few months at Fredericton Christian Church we’ve been taking a look at John’s letters, ie 1 John, 2 John and 3 John. This is part 13 and we are drawing close to the end of his first letter. Part of the reason I insisted with Dan on speaking today was because I only have just enough time to get through this series before the date of my wife’s c-section appointment and the beginning of parental leave. John’s main concerns throughout this letter have been addressing the false teachers who recently left the church and reassuring the true disciples who remained about who they are in Christ and how they can have assurance about their relationship with God and fellowship with one another.

Here John reminds them of two important facts. That they are the children of God, and that Jesus is the Son of God in a unique sense. These two facts are essential to the faith that we share as disciples of Jesus. The most important being the identity of Jesus. The identity of Jesus is the foundation of Christian faith. If we want to know what it means to be followers of Jesus we need to know who Jesus truly is. Plus John Himself has told us that confession of the true identity of Jesus is how we know whether someone truly speaks on behalf of God. In this passage in particular John is concerned with how we know that Jesus is the Son of God. This is related to what he says about us, that we are “born of God” or “begotten of God” if you want to get old school about it. Clearly there is a difference between Jesus’ sonship and ours, becaues Jesus’ sonship shows that He is the Divine Son of God who is Himself God, and our sonship shows that we belong to God and will inherit the kingdom together with His son, but of course they are intimately related and both drastically important. So it is important that we have confidence in these two facts.

So the question John is answering in this passage is who are the two to three witnesses that testify to the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, and so also testifies that we are children of God and have eternal life? So today we will be zooming in on the three witnesses that John calls to the stand here, because I believe this is the key to the whole passage. The flow of the passage goes something like this: All who believe are children of God - those who love God love the children of God - children of God overcome the world - we overcome the world by believing Jesus is the Son of God - the three witnesses testify that Jesus is the Son of God - the three witnesses testify also that we have eternal life through the Son - We have eternal life through the son. So because of the logical flow of this passage the three witnesses are the proof of the whole thing. So who are the three witnesses that John provides?

The Water

The Blood

The Spirit

The Water

Illustration: As reader the two most exciting parts of a novel for me are the beginning and the end. Baptism marks both a beginning and an end in the Christian life. The end of our previous life and the beginning of our new one in Christ. For Jesus however Baptism marked primarily the beginning of His Ministry, and served as a testimony of who He is.

This is what John is referring to when he talks about “the water” in our passage this morning. 1 John 5:6-7

1 John 5:6–7 CSB

Jesus Christ—he is the one who came by water and blood, not by water only, but by water and by blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify:

So when did Jesus come by water? When He was baptized. Let’s take a look at His baptism together as recorded by Matthew the Apostle in Matthew 3:13-17

Matthew 3:13–17 CSB

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. But John tried to stop him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?” Jesus answered him, “Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John allowed him to be baptized. When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water. The heavens suddenly opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.”

So you can see why John would say that Jesus’ baptism witnesses to the fact that He is the Son of God. I mean, the voice of the Father Himself literally said “this is my beloved Son” when Jesus was baptized. I think we do injustice to the gospel when we minimize the importance of Baptism. Many Christian traditions have done this, some going so far as to never baptize as an official policy, though that is rare. Most simply treat baptism as an optional religious ritual to show extra devotion to Jesus as a more mature Christian, even if that’s not how they would describe it. Yet Jesus felt baptism was essential enough that He Himself was baptized. This is interesting for a number of reasons. For one is seems from John the baptist’s preaching and response to Jesus’ desire to be baptized that the original intention of baptism was to be cleansed of Sin. If this is all that Jesus meant for baptism to be, than He wouldn’t have participated in it Himself, because He was without Sin and had no need for repentance. So why did Jesus get baptized?

There are several reasons. Like we said above it marked the beginning of His ministry and testified to His identity as the unique son of God. There are also many who think part of the reason He was baptized by John is because John was a prophet who was inspired by God to call the people to be baptized, so Jesus was baptized as a part of perfect obedience to the law and the prophets. I think however that one of the most important reasons that Jesus was baptized was in order to give our baptism special significance. So that when we are baptized we aren’t just making a symbolic gesture but joining together with Christ in a significant way. Specifically joining Him in His death and resurrection as Paul describes in Romans 6:4-11

Romans 6:4–11 CSB

Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who has died is freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over him. For the death he died, he died to sin once for all time; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

So baptism doesn’t cleanse us from sin primarily by washing us with water, but by killing our old selves entirely. Viewing baptism this way really shows why it should be connected with salvation, and why Jesus’ participated in it Himself. It also marks us in the same way as circumcision marked Jewish men as belonging to God. Notice also how Paul says “we were baptized” just assuming that everyone reading his letter was baptized, because the early church always connected baptism with salvation.

In this way what John is saying about the water testifying to Jesus being the Son of God actually works on two levels, as John’s statements often do. Jesus’ own baptism of course testified in that moment that He was the Son of God, and continues to do so through the written records of the gospels. But the water also continues to testify in our own day to day lives to the identity of Jesus through our own personal baptism. Each time we baptize a new believer, each time we reflect on our own baptism, the water testifies who Jesus is and what He has done for each of us.

So here is my twofold application of this first point. For those of you who have been baptized, we must remember our baptism. Reflect on how you died to sin and were raised in Christ and let it equip you day to day to live like Jesus. Let it testify to you who you are, that you are a child of God and that Jesus is the Unique Son of God.

For those who for whatever reason have not yet been baptized my question is what are you waiting for? Jesus commanded it, and it is how we are buried with Him in death and raised to newness of life. There’s water nearby I’ve been told. I’m sure it’s probably very cold, but I’m willing to get in there and baptize somebody, and I don’t want to speak for Dan but I bet you he is too.

But as John was quick to say in his letter, the water is not the only witness to who we are and who Jesus is.

The Blood

Illustration: The importance of forensic evidence in court. Blood is a powerful witness to guilt. In our case blood is a powerful witness of who Christ is and what he purchased with his blood.

Blood is the second witness that John calls to testify to who Jesus is. What does John mean by “the Blood”? He means the Blood that Jesus shed on the cross for our sins. Let’s take a look at Mark 15:33-39

Mark 15:33–39 CSB

When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lemá sabachtháni?” which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “See, he’s calling for Elijah.” Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, fixed it on a stick, offered him a drink, and said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down.” Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed his last. Then the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion, who was standing opposite him, saw the way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Isn’t that interesting. Just like with Jesus’ baptism, we go to the cross and we have someone testifying that Jesus is the Son of God. This time instead of God the Father we have a ceenturion, who upon witnessing Jesus’ death, and no doubt seeing a great deal of His blood, testifies that this man must be “the Son of God.” Remember that what John said in his letter is that these three things testify that Jesus is the Son of God.

What’s interesting is that before this Jesus displayed all kinds of works and powers. He cast out demons, healed the sick, stilled storms, fed masses and even raised a few people from the dead. Yet John doesn’t say that the water and the miracles are the witness that Jesus is the Son of God. You would think that signs and wonders would do more to confirm that Jesus is the unique son of God than His death. Yet there is something about that Old Rugged Cross. Something about Christ crucified that testified to the heart of that centurion and continues to testify to us today that Jesus is who He says He is.

Perhaps its in the way He laid down His life voluntarily. How He showed His great love for us. How the earth shook when He died.

Yet just like with the water the blood also testifies on two levels. With baptism it was Jesus’ baptism and our baptism that witness to Jesus. With the blood we see the witness of the cross and the accounts of it we have in the gospels. How does Jesus’ blood continue to witness to us today? Through our participation in Communion, aka the Lord’s Supper. Let’s read what Paul has to say about communion in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 CSB

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

So by participating in Communion, eating the bread and drinking the cup, we “proclaim” the Lord’s death. Well that seems pretty darned similar to “witnessing” or “testifying” about the Lord’s death, doesn’t it? Meaning that just as with baptism we can continue to pull forward that witness into the present by our participation in this ritual together.

A major difference between baptism and communion however is that baptism is intended as a one time thing. You are baptized one time upon profession of faith and you simply remember your baptism for the rest of your Christian life. Communion however we continue to celebrate together every week. We participate in it every time we gather to centre ourselves on the death of Jesus and how His blood has saved us. I would give the application to this point as “take communion together,” but we already do that at both of our churches every week. So instead my challenge to all of us is to see the bread and the “wine” with new eyes. To see in it the active participation in testifying to Jesus’ identity by remembering His Atoning sacrifice on our behalf. During this service today take a moment to take a good hard look at the elements and remind yourself of their depth of meaning for us as children of God and followers of the One True Son of God.

The Spirit

Illustration: The power of wind. In both Greek and Hebrew the word for spirit can also mean wind or breath. It’s easy to ignore the Spirit when things are calm and normal, but His testimony cannot be ignored when He does act in the world. We see this throughout the Old Testament, but especially during the ministry of Jesus and the church.

John 1:29–34 CSB

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’ I didn’t know him, but I came baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and he rested on him. I didn’t know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The one you see the Spirit descending and resting on—he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

Once again we have someone witnessing the event in question and responding with a declaration that Jesus is the Son of God. So now we have the third witness, the Spirit Himself. Of course this is not the only way that the Spirit testifies about Jesus. You know how earlier I said it’s the Water and the Blood not the Water and the Miracles? Well actually, the miraculous signs of Jesus also fall under the testimony of the Holy Spirit. That’s why when the Scribes and Pharisees accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the prince of demons Jesus responds by saying in Matthew 12:31-32

Matthew 12:31–32 CSB

Therefore, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come.

So if Jesus is accusing them of blasphemy against the Spirit for calling His works the works of the devil, than Jesus’ wonderous signs must actually be the work of the Spirit. Meaning that every sign and wonder that Jesus did while He walked the earth was the testimony of the Spirit to who He is. So that is how the Spirit testified to Jesus during His earthly ministry, but just like the water and the blood the Spirit continues to testify to us in the present. This is why Paul says in Romans 8:14-16

Romans 8:14–16 CSB

For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,

And the Spirit does this in two ways. First, the inward assurance the Spirit gives us beyond words that we are in fact God’s Children. Second, by producing in us “the fruit of the Spirit” which according to Galatians is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. In other words, obeying God’s commands, which John has been saying over and over again through this letter is the sign of the fact that we remain in God and God remains in us.

So then if ever we are anxious about who Jesus is or who we are then our prayer should be for the HOly Spirit’s assurance of the truth of what we believe, and we should trust the Holy Spirit at His word, lest we ignore the warning of John in 1 John 5:10

1 John 5:10 CSB

The one who believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. The one who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony God has given about his Son.

And we can also look to the fruit the Spirit has produced in our lives to see the reality that we are His children.

Conclusion

There’s a lot more that could be said about this passage. Like. A lot more. I really zoomed in on a few verses there, because I think they are so key to the rest of the passage and shed light on some of the most important moments of Jesus’ ministry and on what we can do to continue to testify to Him today. So with Jesus’ unique sonship and our status as children of God in mind we took a look at the three witnesses that testify that Jesus is the Son of God. The Water, meaning both His baptism that confirmed His identity at the beginning of His ministry and our own baptism, which begins our discipleship journey with Him. The Blood meaning the sacrificial death Jesus went through on the cross to atone for our sin as well as the Communion we participate in together every week. And the Spirit, who testified to Jesus throughout His ministry of amazing signs and wonders and continues to testify to us throughout our discipleship journey that we are children of God who follow the only Son of God. Let’s reread the passage with these things in mind.

1 John 5:1–12 CSB

I hope that as we continue in worship we would all have a new appreciation for the significance of baptism, communion, and the ministry of the Spirit in our daily lives. May we see all these things with fresh eyes and a new passion for the importance of who Jesus is, and who we are in Him. Let’s pray.

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