“Get Christ and get all; miss Christ and miss all.”
Thomas Brooks
In the Gospel of John, the teaching of Jesus is often delivered through extended discourses. John 5 is an example of this. Jesus healed the invalid and then entered into a lengthy, theologically dense, and glorious teaching. His primary audience was the gathered religious leaders but certainly others, like his disciples and the crowds, were present as well. After calling forth a couple of powerful witnesses, namely John the Baptist and the works Jesus has done, he presented a powerful witness, the Scriptures. He saved the best for last.
Jesus pointed out to the religious leaders that while they searched the Scriptures they had missed its central organizing principle and primary goal, to reveal Jesus Christ as the Messiah and as the source of eternal life. Jesus taught the following, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” (John 5:39-40) And again, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.” (John 5:46) The Scriptures, for Jesus and for the apostles, were the Old Testament. The Old Testament, which makes up about 75% of our Bibles, points to Jesus. How does it do that? Here are three ways that cover a significant amount of the ground: predictive prophecies, types, and ceremonies.
As Palm Sunday and Easter approach, consider these prophecies and how they point to Jesus: He would be sold for thirty pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12); he would be beaten on the face and spit upon (Isa. 50:6); nails would pierce his hands and feet (Zech. 12:10; Ps. 22:16); he would agonize in thirst and be given gall to drink (Pss. 22:15; 69:21); despite the normal Roman practice, no bone of his would be broken (Ps. 34:20); and after death he would be buried in a rich man’s grave (Isa. 53:9). The Old Testament also prophesies the significance of his death: “He was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isa. 53:5)
The religious leaders refused to come to Jesus to have life. (v.40) Today, have you found life in the Lord Jesus? If not, trust him who is the center of so much of the predictive prophecies of the Old Testament. For further study, please read the brief article by Jason DeRouchie (link below):
https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-reasons-the-old-testament-matters-to-christians/
Have a blessed week and we will see many of you on Sunday. D. V.
Love in Christ,
Pastor Dale
