THE REAL JESUS

 

Intro:  Today from these verses we will learn about who the real Jesus Christ.  Talk about when my dad and I heard.  Garner Ted Armstrong.

 

This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ.  He did not come by water only, but by water and the blood.  And it is the Spirit who testifies because the Spirit is truth. 

 

1.  When you see this verse without understanding the background.  It seems difficult but

      John here is refuting the Gnostic belief that the divine Christ descended on the man

      Jesus at His water baptism and then left before His crucifixition.  John says that

      Christ did not just come by water but by blood.  John was saying that Jesus

      Right from his conception is divine.  The blood that ran through his veins was both

      Human and yet divine. 

2.  The blood shed on the cross was the element, property or substance that secured our

      Salvation.  The blood is the most powerful element in the universe.  It cleansed the

      Sin of every person, past, present and future.  The blood of Jesus Christ secured us

      Salvation and redemption.  It gave us access to the throne of God.  It brings us

      Success and the fullness of the Holy Spirit.   In a few moments I we will be sharing

      Communion which is a celebration of the broken body and the shed blood.

3.  Then John reminds his audience and us that it is the Holy Spirit who testifies of Christ.

     His testimony is true.  This morning we are looking at the one of the 8 themes in this

     chapter.  The divine witnesses of earth and heaven.

 

For there are three that testify:  The Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

 

1.  John makes it clear that the baptism of Jesus, with the Father confirming Jesus as the

     Son and the Holy Spirit landing on Jesus is one witness.  The shedding of His blood

     on the cross was the second witness and the resident Holy Spirit is the third. 

2.  The Baptism of Jesus and His crucifixition are historical facts.  These three witnesses

     Are in agreement that a single divine Person, the Lord Jesus Christ was involved in

     These events. 

3.  John in his focused on the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Knew that the Gnostic’s

     Under Cerinthus views were utterly false and contrary to the true witness of the Holy

     Spirit.

4.  John here in this passage and book are exposing the three false doctrines of the day.

     First, that Jesus is not the Christ.  That of course is attack today as well by books such

     As the Divinci code.  Secondly, That God is not the Father of Jesus.  This is done by

     Cults either saying He is a created being or the younger brother of satan.  Lastly, 

      That Jesus is not the Son of God.  Jewish and Gnostic elements denied the miraculous

     Virgin Birth.  They saw Jesus the man as the ordinary son of Mary and Joseph.

 

 

 We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God which he has given about His Son.

 

1.  In our country, the testimony of one person can put us in jail for a long time.  In

     John’s day it was two or three witnesses and their stories had to concur.  In the trial

     Of Jesus we see the witnesses brought forward to testify about Jesus stories not

     Agreeing.  That is why the trial was such a sham.

2.  The Spirit, water and blood are Jesus’ witnesses.  Their testimony is true.  This

     Testimony, John says is from God Himself.  So John tells his audience to believe

     The Baptism of Jesus, His shed blood and the Spirit’s testimony as proofs of Jesus’

      Divinity and don’t listen to the false doctrines and teaching of man which on the

      Surface sound so true.

3.  To John anything that takes away from Jesus divinity and humanity is from the pit

     Of hell.  John as we have talk about believe that Jesus was 100% God and man.  The

     Perfect union of the divine and humanity.  God with a face. 

4.  Jesus was the essence and glory of God to John.  Remember John spoke like

     Other on the Divinity of Christ.  He was its greatest champion.  Jesus was not a mere

     Man but God who was with the Father at creation.  He showed Jesus in earthly

     Conversations, sympathies and friendships.

5.  John recorded not only Jesus Baptism, but he was there at the Mount of

     Transfiguration, and the voice that spoke at the temple.  Each time the Father told the

     audience that Jesus was his beloved Son and John was there for each one.  So he heard

     the testimony of  the Father and He speaks of it hear.  This then silences the voices of

     the critics and Gnostics.

6.  As we prepare for communion let us focus on the reality of this truth. Jesus had his

     Body broken and his blood shed for us.