Easter
1 John 5:9–15
9If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. 14And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
We have a problem! Yes, we, Christians, believers in Christ have a problem that no one else has. That problem is sin. I'm not saying that non-believers don't have a problem with sin, but we as believers, as we mature in our faith, become more and more acutely aware of our sinfulness and depravity. The more we know God, the more aware we are that we are not like God. The more our faith grows, the more aware we become of how weak our faith really is. The more we know God's law the more aware we are that we don't live up to it.
And all this awareness just might even lead to doubt; doubts and worry about whether or not we have eternal life. We wonder how we could be truly Christians when we see so much depravity in our lives and in our thoughts; so much lack of love for others, so much lust, so much selfishness, so many doubts, so many worries about how we are going to survive in these difficult financial times, so much fear about the direction our government is taking our country. And when we see our own doubts and fears and worries and lust and selfishness we have reason to doubt if we really are Christians at all. "Maybe I really don't have true faith in Christ," we might tell ourselves.
So we try our hardest to convince ourselves that we really are true believers and really do have eternal life. How can we be sure? We want to see evidence in our lives. We want to feel God's presence in our souls. We try to stimulate our emotions so we can feel saved. We want to experience that mountain top thrill, that rush of adrenaline to prove to ourselves that we are true believers. We strive to be always happy, in a good mood, upbeat because we are afraid if we are not it is because there is something amiss in our relationship with God. We even design church services to give us an emotional high so we feel like we are close to God.
Another way we try to convince ourselves that we are true believers, is by looking for evidence in our lives. We work hard at keeping God's law. We think obedience to God, personal piety, will show that we are truly saved. We like to see some dramatic change in our lives. If we have a problem with alcohol we think that by overcoming our dependency will prove we have faith. If we have a problem controlling our anger, then by bringing our anger under control we will have assurance of eternal life. If we could just straighten out our lives that would prove that we are genuine Christians. Today we can go just about anywhere and hear testimonies of Christians telling how their lives have been changed and how they have overcome their sin, addictions, and problems they used to have. Sometimes we even get jealous that we don't have such a dramatic and emotional story to tell about our lives, and even that may set off a round of doubt about if we are truly saved.
There is nothing wrong with giving your testimony to how your life has changed, but this can give us no real assurance that we are saved. No matter how much we have changed, there is still something lacking. We still have to do more. There is still another challenge to meet. We can never be completely sure, because the testimony of a changed life or the testimony of feelings and emotions inside us are our own subjective testimony. They are testimonies of men. They are testimonies based on ourselves; something we do or feel. And what we feel and do is never sure, it is never permanent, it is always in a state of flux, changing with every different circumstance in life. No, it's not enough. The testimony of our lives, if we are really honest with ourselves, is that we are depraved sinners, unworthy of God's love, deserving his punishment and death. For no matter how much we grow in holiness, no matter how much our faith matures, no matter how hard we try, we never arrive at that level of perfection we expect and need.
What we need then is a sure testimony, something we can rely on, something we can really trust that will never change or let us down, no matter what happens to us or what situation we find ourselves in. We need an objective testimony that is outside ourselves. How nice it would be to have a word from God himself that told us for sure.
Such a testimony is what our text this morning is talking about: it is the testimony of God. "If we receive the testimony of men," says John, "the testimony of God is greater." The testimony of God is the testimony concerning his Son. The testimony of God is our assurance and confidence. For it is a greater testimony than the testimony of man. And the testimony of God is the testimony that we have eternal life.
Let's hear again the words of our Scripture reading: "If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, ... And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life."
This is not the testimony of man, but the testimony of God. And God's testimony is that we have eternal life in Jesus Christ. What an interesting concept. Most people will tell you that they are not sure they have eternal life. They hope they will go to heaven, but aren't sure of it. Well, if we listen to the testimony of men, we will never be sure, but the testimony of God is that we do have eternal life. He gives us that testimony in order that we can be sure that we are going to heaven. And God's testimony is sure because God is no liar and God does not change. The only question left to be asked is, where does God give his testimony? In what place? At what time? Where is the testimony of God?
When Jesus walked the earth, he proclaimed the kingdom of God; he gave the testimony to his disciples and to the masses of people. Men, women and children could go to the shore of Galilee and hear him preach about the kingdom of God. They could hear his testimony. But last Thursday we celebrated Jesus' ascension with a communion service here in church. Since Jesus ascended into heaven, he is no longer standing on the banks of the river Jordan preaching. We can't just go out in the wilderness or to a mountain and hear him speak.
But Jesus did not leave us without his testimony. For this reason He established the office of the ministry to carry on his mission to the world. He called and ordained Apostles to carry on his ministry, to assume the authority and responsibility of his office. That is what he meant when he told the eleven remaining apostles after his resurrection, "As the Father sent me, so am I sending you....whosoever's sins you forgive, they are forgiven." He conferred upon these men his power and authority to forgive sins and eternal life. In our Gospel reading today you heard Jesus praying for his Apostles. Jesus said, "Father, I have given them your word, sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth."
In our first reading today, we read how the office of apostle was conferred upon another man, taking the place of Judas who had died. Then, later Jesus called Paul and ordained him to the ministry, and the Apostles before they died, ordained other men to continue after them in their office, Paul ordained Timothy, and Timothy ordained still others to follow after him. Thus Jesus established the office of Apostle and the pastoral ministry to confer upon men his Word and the power and authority to proclaim his word, to forgive sins and give the gift of eternal life to all who believe. To those who follow after him in his office, Jesus gives the word of God, the testimony of God concerning the Son, and the authority to speak his word and forgive sins. That testimony that is the basis of our assurance of eternal life. For the testimony of God is greater than the testimony of men. And that testimony of God is what we receive through the office of the ministry today.
The Augsburg Confession states: "So that we may obtain this faith, the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted. Through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Spirit is given [John 20:22]. He works faith, when and where it pleases God [John 3:8], in those who hear the good news that God justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ's sake."
How is the testimony of God received? Through the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments. Elsewhere the Augsburg Confession states: " Our teachers' position is this: the authority of the Keys [Matthew 16:19], is a power or commandment of God, to preach the Gospel, to forgive and retain sins, and to administer Sacraments. This authority is exercised only by teaching or preaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments. In this way are given not only bodily, but also eternal things: eternal righteousness, the Holy Spirit, and eternal life. These things cannot reach us except by the ministry of the Word and the Sacraments."
The testimony of God is greater than the testimony of men. The testimony of God is in the preaching of his word and the sacraments. The Old Testament law required two or three witnesses in order to bring charges against someone in a court of law. The Scriptures tell us that there are three witnesses that testify about Jesus Christ: the Spirit, the water and the blood. "This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testified, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater."
What is the testimony of water and blood? Jesus began his ministry with water at his baptism when he took upon himself the sin of the world. Jesus ended his ministry with blood, the precious, innocent blood of God which he poured out on the cross. When the soldier stabbed him in his side on the cross, out poured ... water and blood. We receive the testimony of the water in baptism. We receive the testimony of the blood on Holy Communion. We receive the testimony of the Spirit in the preaching of the Gospel and the sacraments.
The Gospel proclamation and the Sacraments are the testimony of God that we have eternal life. Not our emotions; not our changed life; but the Word of God that proclaims our sins forgiven through the ministers of his Word. The sacraments are signs that testify of God's gracious will toward us to forgive our sins and give us eternal life.
The testimony is about the Son, because the testimony is based on what he has done. As we said, we have the problem of sin. We are sinful and depraved. When we examine our lives and all we see is sin and corruption.
But the testimony of the Gospel and the Sacraments is that the Son of God, Jesus Christ has make restitution for your sins. On the cross He has paid your indebtedness to God. By his suffering He has made the payment for your debt, and by his obedience he fulfilled the law of God on your behalf. Though what you see in yourselves is sin and decadence, what God sees is holiness and perfection because Jesus fulfilled the law of God. What God sees is that what he demands of you has been met because Jesus fulfilled the law on your behalf. His testimony concerning his Son is that his Son paid your debt and so you have eternal life.
And the witnesses of this are the water of baptism that assures you that you are forgiven; the blood which washes away your sin that you receive in the Holy Communion, and the Spirit who creates this faith in you so that you who believe in the name of the Son of God may know that you have eternal life. Amen.