Greater Works

Notes
Transcript

Up until now in John’s Gospel ...

Chapters
John the Baptist calls people to repent. Jesus calls his disciples.
Jesus turns water into wine at the wedding. Jesus drove everyone out of the Temple. Jesus predicted his death.
Jesus explains the gospel to Nicodemus.
Jesus meets a Samaritan woman. Her town believes he is the Messiah. Jesus heals an official’s son in Galilee.
At the beginning of Chapter 5, Jesus heals a lame man beside the pool of Bethesda. For 38 years, this man had been unable to walk, and Jesus says to him, “Take up your bed, and walk,” and the man does. Jesus finds the man in the Temple later, and warns him not to sin, or something worse will happen to him. The Jewish leaders begin persecuting Jesus. This is the central conflict of the book.
What did God do on the 7th Day of Creation? What has he been doing since?
In what ways are you like your father or mother?
Have you ever been given a fresh start, a big forgiveness, or a cancelled debt?
John 5:16–29 CSB
Therefore, the Jews began persecuting Jesus because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. Jesus responded to them, “My Father is still working, and I am working also.” This is why the Jews began trying 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 to God. Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, the Son is not able to do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son likewise does these things. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing, and he will show him greater works than these so that you will be amazed. And just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom he wants. The Father, in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all people may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. “Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life. “Truly I tell you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he has granted to the Son to have life in himself. And he has granted him the right to pass judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of condemnation.
David Platt Sermon Archive Jesus Knew God the Father Was Working

One, first and foremost, Jesus knew that God the Father was working. Verse 17, “My Father is working.” Even on the Sabbath, a day of rest, there’s clearly a sense in which God is working. He is sustaining the universe.

And He is seeking after His people. Day after day after day, God is restoring His people to Himself, so Jesus says, “My Father is working to restore people to Himself, so I’m working to restore people to Him.” Jesus says, “I’m simply doing what the Father is doing.” Jesus’ activity is not self-initiated; God the Father is initiating the work of God the Son.

David Platt Sermon Archive Jesus Knew that apart from the Father, He Could Do Nothing

Jesus knew that apart from the Father, He could do nothing. Verse 19, “Truly, truly I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord …” Nothing! What a statement for God the Son to say that He is totally dependent on God the Father! And this is emphasized over and over again in the book of John. Jesus says right after what we just read in John 5:30, “I can do nothing on my own”—nothing—“I can do nothing on my own.” Don’t miss this; this is huge: Jesus’ work was totally dependent on the Father’s work. He never acted independently from the Father. He did nothing—could do nothing—by Himself. He was totally dependent on the Father.

David Platt Sermon Archive Jesus Joined the Father Wherever and However He Was Working

Jesus joined the Father wherever and however He was working. End of verse 19, “Whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” Right before this, in John 4, Jesus told His disciples, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” He said in John 12:50, “I say what the Father tells me to say.” In John 15:10, He said, “I do what the Father tells me to do.” Whatever the Father says to do, Jesus does. Whatever the Father says to say, Jesus says. Ultimately revealed in John 12 when Jesus is approaching the cross and He says, “What shall I say, save me for this hour? No, it was for this reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name!” And He walks the road to the cross. “Not my will, but yours be done.” Jesus joined the Father wherever and however the Father was working, even when it meant His life.

David Platt Sermon Archive Jesus Knew that the Father Involved Him in His Work Because the Father Loved Him > The Work of the Father and the Son …

Jesus knew that the Father involved Him in His work because the Father loved Him. Verse 20, “For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing.” See the intimacy here. We usually think of the Father’s love for the world, like John 3:16; but we need to remember first and foremost the Father’s love for His Son. The

APPLICATIONS
Be available: God desires you to be a part of his work. We are tempted to rely on other Christians or pastors to do God’s work. Those who hear the voice of God—and have done good things—will receive eternal life.
Be amazed: God involves us in his work not because he needs us, but because he loves us. Jesus calls his works amazing, and he calls us to greater things in the Holy Spirit.
Be assured: Jesus’ “defeat” in death was not the end. Our work, like Jesus’ work, is eternal. As our lives become more like Jesus, we should not expect them to be easier. Our reward is our eternal relationship with God.
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