from Death to Life
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Welcome back to John! We have been studying through the Gospel according to John. Today, we will be looking at John 5:24.
While you are opening your bibles to John 5:24, let’s remember the background.
John wrote his gospel so John 20:31
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John wants us to have life! As he describes it elsewhere, John 10:10, abundant life.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
That life is only found in Jesus, who is the Son of God. John 5 really unpacks what it means that Jesus is the Son of God.
John 5 opens with Jesus going to Jerusalem and healing a man who had been lame for 38 years. He was alone, without help, and without hope. When Jesus asked, “Do you want to get well?,” the man responded out of his hopeless condition, “I can’t. I have no one to help me.”
Into that man’s hopeless world, Jesus brought hope and healing. He told the man to get up and walk!
What a miracle! That man had no life. He was alive. But he had no life. He certainly did not have the abundant life that John describes Jesus giving. But then comes Jesus! “Get up!” he commands and give the man the ability to walk. He gives him the opportunity to have life!
However, as the situation unfolds, we find that the religious leaders were not happy. This did not fit what they wanted to happen. So, they began to persecute Jesus.
In response to their persecution, Jesus explains how he is the Son of God, and He is at work just as God the Father is at work to this very day.
In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”
The Jews understood that when Jesus called God the Father his Father, he was claiming to be the Son of God, who is equally God. We see that in verse 18 of chapter 5.
For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
As we saw a couple weeks ago, Jesus confirmed what they were thinking about him being equal with God.
The following discourse from Jesus has three sections, which Jesus begins with amen, amen. This is translated in different translations as “Truly, truly”, or “I tell you the truth,” or “Very truly I tell you.”
In the first section starting with verse 19, Jesus says,
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
Jesus is confirming to these people that He is equal with God the Father. He does what God does. He is fully, equally God. Even when he humbled himself and took on flesh-- becoming a man--he was still fully, equally God. Just as the Father is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, so He the Son is fully God.
Jesus went on to tell them,
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.
Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,
that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
It is in this context of Jesus explaining to these people that He is fully God, as evidenced by the fact that Jesus gives life, and judges.
That brings us up to the next section, which we are looking at today. John 5:24, which Jesus introduces again with, “Very truly I tell you.”
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
prayer
Very truly I tell you
Very truly I tell you
Jesus begins these sections with an expression meant to grab our attention. What I am about to say is really important. It is the truth. You need to hear this. Pay attention.
In the last section, we saw the truth that Jesus is equal with God the Father. This is important, and should not be glossed over. There are too many through history who have thought of Jesus as being less than God.
Jesus is making a point that He does not want us to miss. He starts it with, Truly, truly, or very truly. This is the truth. Don’t miss it. I am equal with God. What God the Father does, I do.
Now this next section, which is just verse 24, Jesus also emphasizes by saying again, “Very truly I tell you.”
Jesus does not want us to miss this. This is really important! So, let’s pay attention and get what Jesus thought was so important He emphasized it in this way.
whoever hears My word
whoever hears My word
Jesus starts by describing a person who does two things… the first is, “whoever hears My word.”
Maybe a better English rendition would be, “whoever hears my message.” That is, whoever hears what I am communicating--the message I have for you.
But does this mean just anyone who is in earshot?
I think Jesus is looking for more than just someone who picks up audible noise. He wants more than just someone who hears the words he says.
On multiple occasions we find Jesus saying, “He who has ears, let him hear...” Jesus was wanting more than hearing, he wanted listeners!
What is the difference between hearing and listening? Listening when contrasted with hearing is when something is taken to heart, and acted upon.
Our dog hears me when I call and tell him to come. I know because he will sit up, or turn and look at me. He heard. But whether he listens is another matter, right? Listening is when he comes.
The Greek word John used when he wrote this Gospel is akouw. He used it 121 times in his writings (John, 1 John - 3 John, Revelation). We saw it in John 1:37.
When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
It is at times translated as heard. But like in this verse, in most of the uses, upon hearing, there is some action which indicates more has taken place the the shaking of the ear drum. What was audibly heard is acted upon because it is received.
Another way it is translated into English is ‘hear’. We will see that in the coming weeks as we continue in John 5.
But let’s look at Revelation for a moment.
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
Notice that the emphasis is on hearing and taking it to heart.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Here what is heard is to be acted upon to be victorious.
The emphasis is always upon hearing, and receiving.
Another way it is translated into English is ‘listen’.
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
The sheep don’t just hear and ignore. They listen and follow the shepherd.
whoever hears My word
whoever hears My word
So, keeping in mind how this word for hearing Jesus message is used, what is Jesus saying? Who is the one he is talking about?
He is talking about the one who will listen, who will hear and receive as true, and thus act upon his message.
Whoever listens...
Well, Jesus further qualifies it.
and believes Him who sent Me
and believes Him who sent Me
Whoever listens to my message and believes Him who sent me.
Do you find that a little strange? I do.
Normally, I would have expected Jesus to say, “whoever hears what I say and believes me.” After all, Jesus is the one speaking, and it is his message he wants them to listen to, and act upon.
So, why does he change it from believe me to believe Him who sent me?
Well, who sent Him?
The Father. How do we know that? There are a lot of verses that speak of the Father sending the Son, but right here in the context we have one of them.
that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
Jesus just said the Father sent him.
So Jesus is saying whoever listens to Jesus’ message, and believes the Father who sent Jesus.
Why would Jesus say ‘and believes the Father’?
Again, in the context Jesus is telling us that He is fully God. He does what the Father does. They work in complete unity.
Later we will see Jesus say very explicitly,
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
When Jesus speaks, it is the Father’s message. They are working in complete unity. So to hear Jesus’ message is to hear the Father’s message.
To believe Jesus’ message is to believe the Father’s message.
They are not one person, in that the Father sends the Son. They are two persons, but they are one God working in complete unity so that to hear one is the hear the other. To believe one is to believe the other.
So, here in this expression, Jesus is continuing to show us that He and the Father are distinct persons, but they are One God working in unity.
has eternal life
has eternal life
This is a present tense, meaning it is true right now. Whoever listens to Jesus’ message (which is to listen to the Father) and believes the Father (which is to also believe the Son), HAS, right now, eternal life.
This is it! There is no other condition. There is no other hoop to jump through. There is not fine print. There is no catch. It is simply to listen and believe Jesus/Father, and you have eternal life.
Notice, it does not say might have. It does not say will likely have. There is no ambiguity. There is no question. There is no room for doubt. The moment you listen and believe, you have eternal life!! Isn’t that great!?!
There isn’t any other qualifier. No, if you don’t waver. No, if you don’t ever sin again. No, if you keep working to earn this privilege. It is simply listen and believe, and you have eternal life.
What is eternal life? Knowing, being in relationship with and knowing God! John 17:3.
do you believe? Have you heard Jesus message that he came from the father full of grace and truth? Have you listened to him say, whoever believes in me will never perish, but have everlasting life? If you have listened and believe, you HAVE eternal life, right now. Eternal life, is not future. It is present. Right here, right now is eternal life, because you can know and have a relationship with your Creator, the one who gives you each breath right now and for the rest of eternity!
and will not be judged
and will not be judged
Literally, will not come into judgment. This is the same word used in John 3:17-18.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
The word condemned in this verse is the same root as the one in John 5:24.
Whoever listens and believes, HAS right now eternal life, and will never be condemned!
Do you ever fear being condemned by God for things you have done? Listen to what Jesus says here.
Is being condemned someday by God something that might happen to someone who listens and believes? NO! Jesus says it plainly. WILL NOT.
Do not ever listen to the lies from Satan that want you to feel condemned and ashamed. Believers will not be condemned and sent to the Lake of Fire for punishment for their sin.
As we mentioned a couple weeks ago, Jesus is the judge. John 5:22
Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,
Jesus is the judge, and he has said you will not be condemned!
No, you will never be condemned. Why?
has crossed over from death to life
has crossed over from death to life
illustrate.
Homework
Read John chapters 1-5. Make note of all of the verses which speak of what is necessary for eternal life. What is it that Jesus says is necessary to have eternal life?
Memorize John 5:24. Why does Jesus switch from ‘whoever hears My word’ to ‘believes Him who sent me’?
Read John 3:14-18. John 3:18 speaks of not being ‘condemned’, and being ‘condemned’. That word is the same root as the word ‘judged’ in John 5:24. This is also the same root word used in Revelation 20:12-13 (Greek: κρίνω). What is Jesus talking about when he says that the one who believes will not be condemned/judged? Does this contradict 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10? [Hint: 1 Corinthians 3 describes a judgment, but not one that leads to condemnation. It describes the judgment of believers. The word for judgment in Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10 (Greek: βῆμα) is a different word for judgment than the one used in John 3:18, John 5:24, Revelation 20:12-13.]
Read Romans 5:12-21. How does this help us understand John 5:24 where it says, “has crossed over from death to life?”
Read Ephesians 2:1-10, How does this passage help us understand “crossed over from death to life?”