I. SERMON NOTES​

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Introduction

 

The sermon opens with an illustration from a Korean period drama, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, where a modern chef travels back to the Joseon Dynasty. Despite producing "future" technology like a pressure cooker and flavours previously unknown, the people refused to believe her origins. 

 

Similarly, in John 5, Jesus performs miracles and acts with a "future" authority that does not fit the religious boxes of the Jewish leaders. Following the healing of the invalid at the Pool of Bethesda, Jesus moves from the act of healing to the validation of His identity, opening the lid on His divine credentials.

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1. The Divine Essence of the Son (vv. 16–20)

 

When confronted for "working" on the Sabbath, Jesus offers a theological defence: "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working" (v. 17). In the Jewish context, while God rested from creation, He never rested from the work of providence, sustaining life, and governance. By claiming to work alongside the Father, Jesus was claiming ontological equality—equality in His very being, not just His actions.

 

• The Ancient Mindset: To the ancient Eastern mind, a "son" was an extension of the father, signifying identification rather than distinction.

• The Exact Imprint: Just as a seal pressed into hot wax leaves an identical image, Jesus is the "radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being" (Hebrews 1:3).

• The Heart of the Father: Jesus is not an independent contractor or a "Plan B" sent to balance out a vengeful God. Because He is in perfect submission to the Father, seeing Jesus in action—healing and restoring—is seeing the true heart and character of the Father.

 

2. The Resurrection Power of the Son (vv. 21–24)

 

In Jewish theology, God held three "keys" never entrusted to others: rain, childbirth, and the resurrection of the dead (Deuteronomy 32:39). Jesus claims this divine authority, stating He gives life to whom He is pleased (v. 21). This power operates in two layers through "Realised Eschatology"—the future breaking into the present:

 

• The Future Aspect: There will be a day when the physically dead in their graves hear His voice and rise for judgement (vv. 28–29).

• The Present Aspect: Jesus declares that a time "has now come" (v. 25) where the spiritually dead hear His voice and live. Eternal life begins the moment one hears and believes.

• Self-Existent Life: Unlike humans, whose life is "derived" (like the moon reflecting the sun), Jesus has "life in himself" (v. 26). He is the Sun—the source of life.

 

Application: We all have "dead" areas—stagnant marriages, hopelessness, or spiritual numbness. We do not have to wait for the end of time for a miracle; the Son has the authority to speak life into our "dry bones" (Ezekiel 37) right now.

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3. The Redeeming Judgement of the Son (vv. 22–27)

 

The Father has entrusted all judgement to the Son. While the "Bench" usually represents a place of conviction, Jesus reveals a "theological bombshell": the Judge uses His authority to pull the believer out of the trial entirely.

 

• The Finished Reality: Verse 24 uses the perfect tense for "crossed over," meaning a completed action with permanent results.

• The Kinsman Redeemer: Jesus holds the title "Son of Man" (Daniel 7). In the Old Testament (e.g., the Book of Ruth), a redeemer had to be a kinsman. As both the Son of God and the Son of Man, Jesus is our closest relative.

• The Courtroom Illustration: Imagine standing in court for a crime, only to find the Judge is your brother. He has the authority to settle your debt because He has already paid the penalty on your behalf. This is grace: our Judge is also our Kin.

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Conclusion

 

Jesus is the divine essence of the Father, the source of resurrection life, and our Redeeming Judge. Faith is not a fantasy; it is rooted in history. While the world says "seeing is believing," in the Kingdom, believing is seeing. Many only begin to see God's faithfulness and miracles after taking the first step of faith.

 

Our Response:

1. Stop Striving: Cease trying to "work" for favour; the Son has already worked for you.

2. Listen: Hear the voice that speaks life into your situation.

3. Worship: When we understand His authority, theology must end in doxology