the    sides

This is part of our weekly e-journey through the gospel of John. Today is from John 5:16-47.

I loved Justin. (Name has been changed to protect the guilty.) He was a quirky kid with a wicked quick (and dry) sense of humor. Most of the time, only he got his jokes. There circumstances in which this happened that forced me to completely stop whatever we were doing and ask him to explain just out of morbid curiosity.

The problem with doing that was it immediately put us all in that moment of public awkwardness that can only be described “This guy thinks he’s funny but he really isn’t and now we are embarrassing him in front of everybody.” The benefit though was an often lengthy discussion that had absolutely no point whatsoever other than a great laugh and Justin regaining his dignity when the rest of us caught up with him.

For our group, it got to the point where we’d just wait for him to explain. We didn’t even need to ask because he knew what he said didn’t connect the way he thought it would. I’ve been told that every youth group in the world has at least one student like this. They are invaluable to a youth ministry.

As I read this week’s chunk of scripture from John, it reminded me of this. Here’s Jesus performing miracles, breaking social norms, roughing up the religious, and teaching in mystical, philosophical stories. There’s a chance that in the middle of all of this - people weren’t quite getting what he was saying. They knew he was a teacher - maybe even a prophet of some sort. A few (the Samaritans of all people) actually believed he was the coming Messiah.

The religious elite (commonly referred to as “The Jews” in John’s gospel) were starting to put the pieces together and figured that if they did a preemptive strike on Jesus - it would quell the whole thing down (see John 5:16-18).

To clear things up, Jesus basically says this…

I don’t do anything on my own, only what my dad tells me.

My dad happens to be God, YHWH.

I’m the judge of all humanity because my dad gave me that authority.

Your opinion of me is meaningless, only my dad’s.

If you believe and follow me, you’ll live forever.

If you don’t…well, it sucks to be you.

I’m not sure how anyone could honestly believe that Jesus was JUST a great teacher after hearing this. At best he’s some egocentric nut job. Anyone else saying those words we’d immediately call him crazy, arrogant, full of himself and quite honestly a real pain in the butt. If we only had the words of Jesus, that would be my impression of him. Jesus knows this.

I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. - Jesus, John 5:36

Jesus doesn’t point to his logic or his words…he points to his work. Raising the dead, healing the sick, restoring the broken, loving the unlovable. His work testifies to who He is. Nobody else has ever - before him or after him - done what Jesus did.

Jesus’ authority was proven with his life. His life was his explanation.