The true way to know God the father is through Jesus the son. John 5:16–30.

Today, we will examine the Authority of the Son

The term “son of God” is used in scripture primarily to signify the unique relationship of God‘s only begotten son and God.

Our spiritual relationship is made possible through the atoning work of Jesus, the Son.

The passage declares that Jesus is the son of God. While there is a significant difference between the relationships of human parents and their children and the relationship between the father and the son, it might help us to think about this intimate relationship as we look at this crucial passage.

One of the most intimate relationships in life is between a parent and a child. In fact, a strong relationship with a parent, frees the child to engage in the world more fully and successfully. And our relationship with God, the father allows us to live freely and more abundantly with his blessings.

Philippians 2:5–8 (NIV)

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: ⁶ Who, being in very nature^[a] God, did not consider equality with Godsomething to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature^[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

This helps us understand what Jesus is saying in the latter part of chapter 5. Paul is writing here in Philippians chapter 2, and he is talking about the very deity of Jesus Christ. Jesus is in fact, God. Jesus did not demand his right to the equality of God. Paul says that Jesus made himself nothing. Jesus was very humble. God had to empty himself to become man. You and I probably think very highly of ourselves. He had to become nothing to be like us. That kind of puts us in Our place this Sunday morning.

So, we’re sitting here, hopefully listening to the Holy Spirit, and we’re still questioning. What does this all mean? Well, theologians are still studying on this topic. therefore, I think the Holy Spirit just wants us to take some time and just to be in awe about the Lord.

We have to remember that Jesus did this willfully. No one made Jesus empty himself. Rather than hanging on to his equality with God, Jesus humbled himself and became man. Perhaps, so he could identify with us. So he could go through what humans go through.

¹⁶ So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him.¹⁷ In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” ¹⁸ For this reason they tried 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 with God.

The passage begins with the discomfort of Jewish leaders. Once again, Jesus is acting in a manner that the leaders felt straight from their laws. Perhaps because the leaders understood that Jesus was claiming more authority than seemed warranted. We read, my father is always at work to this very day, and I too, am working in verse 17.

Clearly, the Jews, in their zeal to protect the Sabbath, misunderstood with the Sabbath and the day of rest meant. It is fascinating to see the defense offered by Jesus here. First, Jesus challenges, the fundamental understanding regarding work. When does God’s work cease?The Jewish leaders understood that even doing good on the sabbath day was prohibited. The claim: “ my father is always at his work to this day.” must have challenged the leaders to their core. The second offense offense the Jewish leaders. Jesus, as his father was always at work, so was his son, Jesus. Jesus possesses the authority of the father, the great: “ I am” of scripture. The astonishing claims have shot through the leaders mind. The father in the center are equal, not just alike, but the same. In other words, Jesus has the same authority as his father.

¹⁹ Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 

^{Jesus emphasizes that he does nothing outside the will of his father. Boy, this is great instructions for our lives today. Do nothing outside the will of God.}

Jesus takes up another part of the argument, in verse 19, when he suggests, “Verily, I tell you, the sun can do nothing by himself; he can only do what he sees his father do, because whatever the father does, the sun also does. This verse lays out an early teaching that will become the doctrine of the Trinity. The additional reflection on the Holy Spirit spirit will come later, but here we have a clear indication regarding Jesus.

He never acts independently of the father. What Jesus touches, the father does as well. There is no competition between the father and the Son And attack on the Son is the same as attacking the father. Understanding this unlocks the meaning of this passage for us. Jesus continues by explaining the extent of his relationship with the father. Love binds the Father and the Son. It is in the power of this love that greater works, will flow. The relationship between the father and the son offers a clear understanding of God.

The father raises the dead, and the sun gives life to whom he pleases. Judgment comes from the sun through the father. Love, life, and judgment are bound together in the relationship between the father and the son.

The Jewish leaders did not have a choice between honoring the father and the son. And that is Based on the narrative in the Gospel of John, Jewish leaders did not have a choice between honoring the Father and the Son because Jesus asserted that the two are inseparable. In John 5:23, Jesus states that anyone who does not honor the Son also dishonors the Father who sent him, making the rejection of Jesus a simultaneous rejection of God. The same is true for us.

^{The Pharisees were accusing Jesus of violating their laws. Jesus was responding to the violation of working on the Sabbath. Jesus said I do nothing of my own accord. Everything that I do is of the father. Jesus was not expressing a limitation he is expressing a connection. Jesus said, I am not violating the laws of the Sabbath. And furthermore, I only do what the father does. You are telling me that I disobeying God and I’m telling you that is not possible. Jesus in fact is saying I have the father‘s full approval in all that I am doing.}

²⁰ For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 

This is very interesting right here. I hear it! The father loves the Son. thats like saying the father loves us. Can we completely grasp it? I truly don’t know if we can on this side of heaven. What we need to take from this scripture is that love drives what God does, love drives what Jesus does, and what we should do.

²¹ For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 

In verse 21 we remember that Jesus is still giving an answer to why he is able to work on the sabbath day and the other Jews are not. In verse 21 we also see that Jesus gives life to who he wills. Jesus was talking to Jews, who knew the word of God. The Jews knew and understood that God is the one who gives life to all of creation. The following is an example found in the Old Testament:

Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I myself am he! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand.

Verse 21 is a proclamation from Jesus Christ himself. This is where Jesus declares that he is God. He also has the ability to create new life.

Next, Jesus continues to tell how he will also be able to judge the world.

²² Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 

The scripture tells us that we honor Jesus just as we honor God. Jesus said that I have been given been certain rights from God, the father.

Then he ends this thought in verse 23.

²³ 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.

We see that this is a package deal. You have to accept Jesus Christ and honor the father. You cannot reject the Son and inherit heaven. 

Now let’s look at John 5:24–30.

The stakes are very high as Jesus continues to respond to the Jewish leaders. Jesus says that those who hear his words and believe will enjoy eternal life. It is important that we understand that eternity begins now. Those who hear and believe embrace the fullness of life, now.

Christian, verse 24 is one to highlight in your Bible and to quote to others as we walk through this life. Let’s read it again.

²⁴ “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.²

When we get to heaven, we do not have to fear judgment, because our advocate, Jesus Christ has already accepted us, and we have been adopted as sons and daughters of God. For example, we all know that I’m a teacher, and sometimes we grade pass or fail. The day you received Jesus Christ is the day that you passed from death to life. We are in the life category now.

Continuing on with the scripture, in verse 25, Jesus continues his discussion teaching on the resurrection. Let’s read verse 25 together.

²⁵ Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 

Jesus is making claims, to the Jews and through John in this text, that no other human can make. We are completely dependent on God for life. We came through our ancestors, and conception, but God had to breathe life into us. Jesus is the only one that can say he inherently has life within him. Our life fades and our bodies decay, but Jesus does not.

Accordingly, in verse 26 we see that: “For as the father has life in him, so he has granted the son also to have life in himself.” Life and eternity are bound together in the son of God. This provides the basis for judgment.

Just as the work of God is bound to the relationship between father and son, so our obedience to the father as his son and daughters existed through the depth of relationship with the father.

Jesus admits that by himself, he can do nothing. There reminds all of who follow him that we need the help of the father and the son to continue the work of God.

Discipleship is not mirror mortality; rather, obedience arises from a relationship. A person cannot honor the father of God while denying the full deity of the sun who is the Redeemer of the world. Father and son are distinguishable but inseparable. Jesus is the son of God and in the reality and our authority, he opens the door to a holy and obedient life.

²⁷ And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

Jesus, as the son of man in verse 27 is given authority to judge. Jesus said, “ if I do judge, my decision decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the father who sent me.” it is true that Jesus came to redeem those who placed their faith in him. Listen to what John 9:39 says:

But he also said in John 9:39 to the leaders “ by myself, I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for a seek not to please myself, but him who sent me.”

Verse 28-29 together it is about how Jesus can judge: let’s read it:

²⁸ “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is comingwhen all who are in their graves will hear his voice²⁹ and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.

Everyone is going to have a resurrection. The judgment for the Christian is different than the judgment for the ones who rejected Jesus Christ. the fruit of your life will be in whom you have believed. It is all Jesus Christ or nothing.

Now, we see that the father and the son are one. Let’s read verse 30 together.

 ³⁰ By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

Jesus is not saying that he is incapable of doing things on his own, but he is saying that he morally cannot do things on his own because he and the father are one in the same. Jesus is so connected and in sync with God that he is incapable of sin and going against the wheel of God. Perhaps, this will be the way we are in heaven? Just a thought for you to ponder on this week.

Therefore, he answers the Jews of his day with the following: I am God and God is me. The father and I are one and the same. Jesus is not announcing that he is inferior to God, he is announcing that he and God are one. Thus, this is why I am not able to break the law of the father. I can’t do that, just like you can’t just stop breathing and start breathing again. 

The Holy Spirit wants you to question yourself. What does the use of the son of God say about the identity of Jesus?