READ: JOHN 5:15-29 TEXT: v25 [THE DEAD HEARING HIS
VOICE]
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is
coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son
of God: and they that hear shall live.
Christ speaks in this passage of 2 resurrections.
One which now is (text) & one yet/come (v28) Future one:
General. Relates to "all/graves" whether good/bad.
Universal experience. Day/reckoning (v29) Something which is
physical. Referring: bodies/men. Not: soul. Soul never
ceases/exist (Luke 16) Yet future. Text: Particular resurrection.
"All"…missing. Limited: who hear/God's voice. Not physical
resurrection/future…but: spiritual resurrection/here & now.
Simply: Christ speaks about those/being saved. Needless/say: Ought
to be aiming for this spiritual resurrection…so that the:
future physical resurrection for us will be unto the resurrection
of life. 4 things:
1) UNCONVERTED SOULS ARE DEAD IN GOD'S
SIGHT:
A/ Although such: alive physically…not so in a
spiritual sense. Alive/understanding worldly matters:
politics/business &c., but in spiritual matters especially
salvation…Book says simply: Dead.
B/ Death is traceable to sin. Sin is the
mother/death. Back to Eden: Genesis 2:17 Did not die physically
that day but he died spiritually. Alienated from God.
Bondage/sin which was passed on from generation to generation
& so: Ephesians 2:1
C/ Confirmed: 1 Timothy 5:6 i.e. alive
physically…dead spiritually
D/ What does it mean to be spiritually dead?
Alienated from the life/God. Void of appreciation to spiritual
truths. Always knowledge of some spiritual truths: Law/God
&c., but in/off himself… sinner cannot receive truth/gospel:
Romans 8:7 Again: 1 Corinthians 2:14 Where there is understanding:
Only because God/intervened.
E/ Emphasise again: Cause/deadness is sin.
Immediate agent of such deadness: Devil (2 Corinthians 4:4) Sin
holds the sinner back. A stubbornness/sinner's part: John 5:40
Sinner is willingly at loggerheads with God. Quite simply:
Sinner/dead.
E/ If sinner continues in this state: v28-29
"…damnation"
2) SOME OF THEM WILL HEAR THE VOICE OF
GOD:
A/ God speaks/sinner. Speaks in love/mercy. Even
Adam leaving Eden: promise/Saviour: Genesis 3:15 Fully expressed:
John 3:16 Christ took the sinner's guilt/Calvary. Offers eternal
life.
B/ This message God conveys/sinners. Universal
message: John 3:16/Mark 16:15 This church takes seriously this
command.
C/ Although universal/one sense…intensely personal
in another. God speaks to individuals. v24 (similar theme)
addresses the singular "he" We cannot be saved on the
faith/another. The individual stands before God for himself
(Romans 14:12) so too salvation.
D/ As gospel/sounded abroad…those individuals who
hear His speaking voice. Many who will not hear: Bible abounds
with examples: Psalm 14:1 or Psalm 73:11 & 94:7 The Samaritans
(Luke 9:52-53) Gaderenes (Luke 8:35-36) Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37)
Apostles also. Same today. Very noticeable. Try door to door
work!
E/ Why bother? Because some do hear: Isaiah
55:8-9 God is at work. Men naturally unwilling become willing:
Day/His power.
F/ How can I be among this people? Orthodox answer
best suited/sinner: Attend earnestly the preaching/God's word.
With what little you do have…make full use. To disregard what you
do have means to lose it (Matthew 25:29) Cry out to God & ask
Him to save you! Your very interest/matter: so promising - not
meritorious (guilty sinner) - but mercy sought/mercy found.
3) THEY WHO HEED GOD'S VOICE WILL RECEIVE
LIFE:
A/ Hear means much more than coming within sound.
Thought of heeding. "He wont listen to me" = "He wont do
what I say."
B/ To heed God is to be unheedful of every other
rival. When Wisdom cried in highest places/city (Proverbs 9:2) she
competed with the clamorous woman (14-16) doing the same thing.
The world does not want you to become a Christian. Many excuses
why not… but no reasons. It is a spiritual battle. You are
the battlefield.
C/ To heed the voice of Jesus Christ: evidence/God
has given you life. To do otherwise: evidence/love sin rather than
Him.
D/ All who heed God's voice receive eternal life
(v24) It is they alone who receive the future resurrection/life
(v29)
4) TODAY IS THE DAY TO RECEIVE SALVATION:
A/ Not only the day…but the hour (text)
More precise…not only the hour but the very second (2 Corinthians
6:2)
B/ No greater authority to say these things:
Verily, verily I say unto you…Christ is calling sinners.
Why not come etc.,
