Worship - Sunday at 10:30AM
Bible Study - Wednesday at 6:30PM
2002-11-24 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church
THE FATHER BEARS WITNESS
John 8:12-19
At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
In this chapter, the scribes and Pharisees bring a woman accused of adultery to Jesus, and ask Him if they should stone her according to the law of Moses. They were trying to lay a snare for Him, and the first clue must have been that they didn't bring Him the man, who is just as punishable. So, instead of immediately responding to them like most us would have done, He stooped down and wrote in the dirt. There's a lot of speculation about what He wrote, but it would seem likely He wrote from the law of Moses.
As it is written in Deuteronomy 17, the law given by God requires witnesses for the prosecution to cast the first stones at a stoning, and adultery was a crime punishable by stoning for both the man and woman.
When they continued asking Him what to do with her, He stood up and said, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." Then He stooped down to write in the dirt again. Whatever He wrote this time caused all of them to shut up and leave, apparently in shame.
Again, I think it's likely He wrote the law of Moses from Deuteronomy 19, where God says false witnesses are to receive the same punishment as the one they accused would have received. It wouldn't surprise me if He threw in some verses from Proverbs 6, where God's feelings toward false witnesses are also stated. But here, in verse twelve of John 8, we pick up the story a little later, probably that same day, with the Pharisees again back in the picture...
John 8:12-19
12. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
13. The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
14. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
15. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
16. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
17. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
18. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
19. Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.
The Father bears witness of the Son, but as Jesus tactfully points out here, the Pharisees weren't listening to the Father. They weren't in tune with the God they claimed to worship.
Jesus is the greatest gift the world has ever known, but at the same time He's the greatest gift the world has never known. He gave the world many tangible reasons to believe He was who He said He was, but for many people He isn't convincing in and of Himself.
Imagine the heartbreak of His loving Father in heaven as He listened to the scorn and disbelief coming from the Pharisees. Imagine how difficult it would be for you, a Father standing by as your Son is delivered up to be slain in quiet innocence, not helping Him when you know you could. It would have been so very easy for the Father to be that second witness so that the whole world would believe in His Son, but for our sakes He didn't, and true to form, the religious council used the testimony of two false witnesses to judge Jesus, even though their testimonies disagreed.
God didn't step in and tell everybody "This is my son, and in Him I am well pleased, and He is here to save you from sin if you only believe." He didn't boast of His gift to the world. Those who have eyes to see and ears to hear know who Jesus is, know why He is a gift, and know Who it was that gave this perfect gift.
When we give, we're not supposed to let our left hand know what our right hand does. Only one witness should see us give, and that witness should be the same one that the Pharisees didn't see. That being said, I do believe there is a time in which we may feel comfortable in giving openly, and that's when we give thanks to our Father in heaven.
Psalm 95:1-3
1. O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
2. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
3. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.