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Sunday School Special : Lesson 66

Text: John 5:16-23
27 June 2021

SUNDAY SCHOOL SPECIAL 27 June 2021

Text: John 5:16-23

Subject: Evangelism

Focus: Successful Evangelism Under Duress

INTRODUCTION

1. The Context

a) The Jews persecuted the Lord Jesus (John 5:16a)
b) They sought to kill Him (John 5:16b)

2. Reasons:

a) Because the Lord Jesus had healed a man on the Sabbath (John 5:18a)
b) Because He had made Himself equal with the Father (John 5:18b)
c) Because of a statement He had made
“My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.” John 5:17

3. Evangelism Under Threat

a) Threat of Persecution
b) Threat of Death

4. Successful Evangelism Under duress

a) Studying how the Lord Jesus continued to remain firm and focused
b) Seeking to carefully follow

RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD MATTERS

1. The Father-Son Relationship

a) Its Existence
b) Explained simply
c) Expounded profoundly 

2. Speaking with great sense of certainty

a) “Most assuredly” John 5:19a
b) Nuances
i) Truly
ii) Definitely

3. The Son’s Work

a) The answer of the Lord Jesus
i) He needed to give an answer to His detractors John 5:19a
ii) He had good and solid answers to offer
b) Nothing of Himself
“The Son can do nothing of Himself” John 5:19b
i) This was an important disclaimer
ii) He performs wondrous miracles
ii) But He will not take the credit
c) Observing and noting what the Father is doing (John 5:19c)
i) What the Father does is NOT limited to Israel
ii) The Father’s work is all over the world (Psalm 65)
d) In like manner
i) The Son works
ii) In similar fashion
“The Son also does in like manner” John 5:19d

THE THINGS THAT MATTER

1. An assured love of God the Father

a) The Father loves the Son (John 5:20a)
i) God’s love is significant
ii) His love is inspirational
iii) His love is impactful
iv) His love is instructive
v) This love is felt personally and deeply
b) Revelation from God
i) God’s work shown (His work is world-wide)
“Shows Him all things that He Himself does” John 5:20b
ii) Greater works
“And will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel” John 5:20c
iii) These would be revealed over time

2. Power Matters

a) Raising the dead 
“As the Father raises the dead and gives life to them” John 5:21a
(Raising of the Shunammite’s son 2 Kings  4:8-37)
i) It takes power to raise the dead
ii) Power is essential 
b) Power to Give life
“Even so the Son gives life to whom He will” John 5:21b
i) Eternal life
ii) Abundant life
iii) Resurrection life

3. Judgment Matters

a) In the OT 
God is appealed to as Judge (Psalms 7, 9, 17)
b) In the NT
“The Father judges no one” John 5:22a
c) Son as the Judge
“But has committed all judgment to the Son” John 5:22b
d) Significance
i) There are changes
ii) The change is towards the Lord Jesus
iii) This was the Will of God revealed

APPROPRIATE RESPONSE

1. Honouring of the Son

a) All are to honour the Son
“That all should honour the Son just as they honour the Father” John 5:23a
b) Where is no honouring of the Son “He who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent Him” John 5:23b

2. Regard for the Lord Jesus Christ

a) The Jews had no regard for the Lord Jesus
i) They see Him as a Sabbath breaker
ii) They see Him as being blasphemous
b) They plotted to kill Him
Thinking that they are being true to God

3. Evangelism that Counts

a) We speak of the Lord Jesus
b) We share about who He is with joy and confidence
i) The Eternal Son of God
ii) The Giver of life
iii) The Judge whom God has appointed