The Finished Works from John 5:36

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/17/2016 7:30 AM

My Worship Time                                                                                Focus:  The Finished Works

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  John 5:36

            Message of the verse:  “36 "But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish-the very works that I do-testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.”

            I think that I am finally getting a better grasp on why it is that MacArthur said what he said in the sermon that I listen to the other day about verses 30-40 speak of the Father’s work in Christ even though we looked yesterday at John the Baptist’s testimony about Christ it was still the Father who had sent John the Baptist into the world to testify about Christ and as we can see from the end of verse 36 we see that the works that Jesus is doing, and perhaps in particular the healing of this man who was sick for 38 years, were done to show that the Father had sent Christ to the earth.

            Now not only was the work of the healing of the man by the pool a significant work, but we must remember what it was the Nicodemus came to see Jesus, for he told Christ that he knew about the works that Jesus was doing.  Let us fast forward to what the crowds say about Jesus in John 7:31 “31  But many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, "When the Christ comes, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He?"”  Jesus’ enemies were even talking about His works “47 Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, "What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs (John 11:47).”   There are other places in the Scriptures that Jesus speaks of His works as it shows the people that He was indeed the Messiah (cf. 10:25, 37-38; 14:11; Matt. 11:3-5).  I want to look now at what John says in John 20:30 to show that not all of His miracles were spoken of in the Scriptures “30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book.”

            John MacArthur writes “That Christ did only ‘the works which the Father had given Him to accomplish’ in no way implies that He is inferior to the Father (1:1; 5:18; 10:30; cf. Phil. 2:6; Col. 2:9).  As noted in the discussion of 5:26…Jesus voluntarily gave up the independent use of His divine attributes during the Incarnation.  That self-emptying included submission to the Father’s will and Spirit’s power.  Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus was conscious of carrying out the mission that the Father had given Him in the energy of the Spirit (Luke 4:14).  In John 4:34 He told the disciples, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work,’ while in 14:31 He added, ‘I do exactly as the Father commanded Me.’  In His High Priestly Prayer to the Father Jesus declared triumphantly, ‘I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do’ (17:4).”

            We conclude that because Jesus’ works that He did were in perfect harmony with what the Father willed Him to do this shows that the Father had sent Him.  These works were not only supernatural, but they were also in keeping with the exact wishes of the Father.  The sad part of all of this is that even though people saw His works, and in some cases were actually a part of His healing works many still did not believe Him.  We come now to a verse that took place after the resurrection of Jesus which He said to Thomas, and He says this not only to Thomas, but also to us “26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing." 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed."”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I am thankful that even though I did not see the works that Jesus did, I can read about them and convinced that He did every one of them just as is written in His Word.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Tell others of His works so they can believe too.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Pharisees” (Luke 18:9-10).

Today’s Bible question:  “How much money did Jesus tell His disciples to take when He sent them out to preach?”

Answer in our next SD.

3/17/2016 8:01 AM