Were I to stand up here this morning and announce to you that there were a mass of people in the next room who were about to be murdered unless we intervened, you would be put in a position of decision. You could decide that your life is more valuable than theirs, that it’s not worth the risk, and that there is no certainty of success by going, and so decide to stay in your seat. On the other hand, you could decide that it would be great condemnation to your faith to remain where you are and that no matter the risk or chances of success, you must go, and so get out of your seat and go. But what would be quite clear to everyone in the room if that announcement were made is that there is no neutral ground in response. For in the end, there is only two choices: to sit or to go. And everyone will respond in one of those ways.

Now, I imagine that most of us like the fact that such a situation does not face us this morning. Those are fun hypothetical things to discuss and to debate, but at the end of the day, we are glad we are not right now confronted with that situation. It is simply easier to assess the situation in our minds than to have the reality of a situation such as I just described placed right in our laps where we must respond. Yet at times, life doesn’t allow that luxury, does it?

This seems to be the situation in which we find ourselves with John 5-7. In John 1 we have a continual clear proclamation and testimony of the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Then, in chapters 2-4 you have much that confirms the reality that Jesus is indeed the one sent from God, the one who fulfills that which was prophesied in the Old Testament. And in those chapters you have people who say they believe or receive Jesus and really don’t (e.g. 2:23-25) and individuals who are clearly hesitant and reserved in their acceptance of the Messiah. These are chapters in which he is proclaimed, comes on the scene, and individuals try to assess and decide their thoughts about him ‘from the outside.’ But in chapters 5-7, it seems the clear message is that mere speculation is not allowed toward Jesus.

In these chapters Jesus is thrown before them, displaying clearly that he is the Christ and what that means, and men must react. Consequently, we find in these chapters not simply miracles and allusions of Christ’s fulfillment of Old Testament promises but also difficult teaching and demands from Christ and outright opposition to the Messiah. In short, John 5-7 makes clear that there is simply no neutral ground in one’s response to Jesus.

Therefore, this morning, I want us to see again Jesus claims as to who he is, what is demanded by such claims, and what that then means for us.

Jesus’ statements as to who he is

In these chapters John does not shrink back from his purpose of writing. He still makes quite clear in these chapters that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, so that we might believe and have life. In fact, it is through Jesus himself that this proclamation is clearly made.

In chapter 5, we read that Jesus comes to Jerusalem during a feast and finds a paralytic man who had been lying next to a pool for thirty-eight years waiting to be healed. Now, it was believed that when these waters were stirred, the first sick in the water would be healed. However, this man had no one to help him and lay there helpless. Jesus approaches him, however, and asks him if he wants to be healed. He explains that the water system is not really good for him because of his inability to get in, and so Jesus speaks to him, saying, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk” (5:8). And John writes, “And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked” (5:9).

Though one would think this to be exciting news to all around, it leads to opposition for Jesus. For John tells us that that day was the Sabbath (5:9), and some of the Jewish leaders see the paralytic man and tell him that it is unlawful for the man to carry his mat on the Sabbath. He tells them that another told him to do so, and (apparently thinking the one instructing disobedience to the law more threatening than the man) they begin to seek out this one.

Eventually, the man finds Jesus; Jesus tells him not to sin lest worse happen to him (5:14), and the man goes and gives the Jewish leaders the identity of the one who healed him – Jesus. Thus, they find Jesus and begin to challenge him. And it is here that the story gets interesting, for Jesus makes clear, in no uncertain terms who he is. His claims may be stated as follows:

1. Jesus is the obedient Son of God (5:17-19; 30-47)

Jesus begins his response to the Jewish leaders in verse 17 calling God his Father. Now, it was common to refer to God as “Our Father” but “My Father” was entirely too great of a statement for an individual. Thus, John writes, “This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God” (5:18). Jesus follows saying, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise” (5:19). Jesus’ justification for acting as he did on the Sabbath was that his Father is continually working, and he simply does what his Father is doing. He simply takes his cues from his Father. He then argues in verses 30-47 that the Father bore witness to Jesus as the Son by sending him and speaking of him in the Old Testament, for he is the one of whom Moses wrote.

The Scripture speaks much of the Son. Adam is called the son of God and Israel is called God’s son, but ultimately, Jesus makes clear that all of those references were pointing to him. He is God’s true and obedient Son, unlike Adam and Israel. He is the second Adam and the true Israel. He is God’s true Son.

2. Jesus is the one who voice produces life and will judge the world (5:20-29)

Yet, Jesus claims not only to be the Son, but the one whose voice produces life and who will judge the world. If they marvel that he speaks and heals the paralytic, he tells them in verse 20-21, “Greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will” (5:20-21).

He then makes quite clear his power, saying in verses 22-29, “The Father judges no one, but has given 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. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. "Truly, truly, I say to 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 as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”

In the Old Testament, raising the dead was that which God alone could do (e.g. “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life” – 2 Kings 5:7). Even when Elijah raises one from the dead, he is simply an agent of the Lord; there is no life in Elijah which he can give to another. But the Son does have life in himself even as the Father. The Son gives life to whomever he will and he creates life simply with his voice. He will speak on that final day and raise the dead, and he will speak now (through his word) and create life in those who are dead in their sins. Where Jesus speaks he creates life, showing his kingdom reign over the reign of death.

3. Jesus is the one whom the Father seeks to be honored alongside of himself (5:20-23)

In the midst of all of this conversation Jesus says, “The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father” (5:22-23).

In Isaiah 42:8, God says, “I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other.” Then, again, in Isaiah 48:11 he says, “My glory I will not give to another.” Finally, in Isaiah 45:21-23, the Lord says, “There is no other God besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: To me every knee shall bow, and every tongue swear allegiance [or in the Septuagint, “every tongue shall confess to God”].”

Jesus thus declares in this statement that the Father seeks his honor that he is equal with the Father. He is God, the Son. It is his honor that the Father will ensure. For in the end, the Father will ensure that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God, the Father. By proclaiming that he is God’s Son, that he speaks and creates life, and that the Father seeks is honor, he is claiming nothing else that to be the exalted Son of God.

The claims continue in John 6 as Jesus goes to the other side of the Sea of Galilee and finds a large multitude following him. Jesus sees that the people are hungry, so he asks Philip how to feed the people, knowing what he was going to do. Philip says they hardly have enough to feed the people with eight month’s wages (which shows the mass of the crowd). Andrew then points out that a boy has five loaves and two fish. Then, Jesus has the people sit down and multiplies the food so that all the people had enough and there were twelve baskets left over. In response to this, they perceived he was ‘The Prophet,’ and Jesus withdrew to the mountain by himself, knowing they were going to try to make him king by force.

Afterward, the disciples head across the sea to Capernaum at night while Jesus is away from them. However, Jesus comes walking to them on the water even as the sea was rough with the wind blowing (showing his dominion over the chaos). They were frightened. He said, “It is I; do not be afraid.” And they let him in the boat and reach land, only to have the crowd seek him out the next day, not knowing how he got to the other side of the sea. Jesus points out in 6:26 that they weren’t coming because they truly understood what was meant by the miracle. They were simply coming because they ate and were filled. So, what then did the miracle mean? What reality was it to point to about Jesus?

4. Jesus is the Bread of Life (6:27-59)

The point of the miracle was that they might see that Jesus brings much for than food to sustain physical life. As he says, “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you” (6:27). He tells them that they must believe in him, which provokes them to ask for a sign greater than what Moses did in providing manna in the wilderness. Then Jesus clearly proclaims, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. … I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger; and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (32-35). Then again in 48-51 he says, “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."

What does this mean? Especially 53-58 makes little sense to the average hearer that one must eat Christ’s flesh and drink his blood to have eternal life. What does that mean? Is it what the Roman Catholic Church commonly hold to in teaching that you literally eat of the flesh and drink of the blood of Christ in communion and therefore have life? No. Jesus is not teaching cannibalism here.

The key is in 57 as Jesus states, “As the living Father has sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.” Our hope for eternal life is wrapped up in the eternal life of Christ. Salvation is utterly bound to our union with Christ. We’ve died to our sins because we have died to our sins in Christ. We live because he lives. We will be raised because he has been raised. Christ has been given all things, and we will have those blessings only as we are united with him, as we share in his life. And Jesus leaves no question that this union with Christ, this feeding on his flesh and drinking of his blood, occurs by faith. Jesus is the one in whom there is life. He is the one we must seek if we want life. He is the bread of life.

Finally, in chapter 7 Jesus comes to the Feast of Booths. Jesus brothers had wanted him to go so that he might show off his power, for they didn’t even believe him. Jesus said that his time was not yet up but that they should go at that time. He did end up going privately, however, after his disciples went up and though everyone was whispering about him, no one spoke of him openly.

About the middle of the Feast, Jesus went to the temple and began teaching. They are amazed that he is so well educated. He says his authority is from God and that if they willed to obey God they would know it. He points out that they’re willing to circumcise on the Sabbath and he made a man’s whole body well. So why are they trying to kill him? There arose discussion about if he was really the Christ, then they sent men to arrest him (but John leaves suspense on the result of their efforts). He told them that he was only going to be with them a little while longer and then go to a place they could not come. This leaves them confused and continuing to discuss among themselves what he means.

The major event, however, occurs on the final day of the feast. During the feast they took water in a procession and poured water in an offering to the Lord that symbolized God’s provision of water in the wilderness and the pouring out of the spirit in the last days. It was to symbolize a foretaste of the rivers of living water spoken of in Ezekiel 47.

Jesus says (no doubt in light of this), “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (7:37-38).

Some hear Jesus’ claim and reflect back on God’s provision through Moses. They think of Moses again, as they had with the manna, this time thinking of the water from the Rock, and so many again think he is the prophet, while others seek to have him arrested.

5. Jesus gives the living water of the Spirit that produces eternal life (7:37-39).

Again, in claiming to be the one who gives the water that creates life, it is a similar claim to being the bread of life. He is the one who gives eternal life.

What does who Jesus is demand from us?

But, as I said in the beginning, all of this information is not so that we might say, “Great, I get it,” and then leave, doing nothing. No. The message of John 5-7 is that Christ forces people to action. There is no neutral ground when he reveals who he is.

So, what does who Jesus is demand from us? John says there is only one right reaction. You must believe. You must place your faith wholly in him as your only hope of eternal life. Over and over throughout these three chapters Jesus identifies our hope as believing in him.

He doesn’t simply call everyone to eternal life on that final day but those who believe in him. He says after revealing his voice produces life, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. Truly, truly, I say to 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” (5:24-25).

It is not everyone one who benefits from him being the bread of life. After he reveals that he is the bread of life, he says, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (6:29). Again he says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger; and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (6:35). Then again, “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (6:40).

And it is not everyone who has life from the living water but those who believe. Jesus says after declaring that all who thirst should come to him, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (7:38). Then, John adds, “Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (7:39).

Therefore, what should we do in this light?

The clear message of these chapters is not simply to hear and understand who Jesus claims to be but to believe in him, to place your entire hope in him. Either you believe in him and have a foretaste of the resurrection life now that awaits you, or you do not believe and you have a foretaste of the condemnation that awaits you at the resurrection of the dead at his return. Therefore, I urge you to believe. Give up your own sovereignty over your life. Relinquish any hope of righteousness from your works. Believe in the Son. Do not spurn the one who will judge the world.

Also, if you do believe, walk in humility. In Jesus’ discourse in John 6, he makes clear the humility that we should have who believe in the Son. He says in verse 37, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” and in verse 44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” This is a cause for humility. Even at the end of the chapter this message is clear as Peter confesses that Jesus is the Holy One of God (maybe in pride). Then Jesus responds, “Did I not choose you?” (6:70). Therefore, if you are a believer in the Son this morning, realize that nothing makes you different from another except that which you have received from God.

Finally, salvation is always spoken of in terms of beginning now and being complete at the resurrection. In fact, Christ did not see his work as complete until he raised up his people on that final day. Therefore, let it be a reminder to us that our labor in fulfilling the Great Commission is not complete when someone makes a profession of faith. We labor toward the end of their salvation, knowing it will not be complete until Christ calls them from the grace. But we labor nonetheless.

And throughout this life, let us gather and eat the bread and drink from the cup, knowing that we are united with Christ, sharing in his life, and awaiting the resurrection from the dead. May that day come quickly. Amen.

A CLEAR PROCLAMATION AND NO NEUTRAL GROUND