Introduction: There are at least two kinds of Faith: Faith that equals commitment and trust (“I’m putting my faith in Jesus to be my Savior.”) Also, there is an intellectual faith, a mental belief in the facts. Intellectually, even Satan believes in God and Jesus. Generally speaking, the intellectual aspect of faith must come first. As Paul wrote to the Romans 10:13-14

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

Here in John 5:31-47 Jesus addresses the unbelief of the Jewish leaders of His time. He presents a hypothetical courtroom situation with His identity on the stand. He calls witness, and tells the Jewish leaders that they should believe in Him, because all these witnesses agree. Let’s take a look a the witnesses Jesus called to the stand.

I. The Witness of John the Baptist (John 5:31-35)

Everyone in Jesus’ day believe that John was a propet from God. Even many of the pharisees went down to the Jordan river to be baptized by John. What did John say about Jesus?

1. John 1:15 Jesus’ pre-existence
2. John 1:27 Jesus’ divinity (I’m not worthy to loosen his shoe lace.
3. John 1:29 Jesus as God’s sacrificial lamb for the entire world
4. John 1:32-34 Jesus is the Son of God (not just “a” son of God)
5. John 3:31 Jesus came from Heaven

II. The Witness of Jesus’ Works (John 5:36)

John 21:25 informs us that Jesus did so many good works that the world could not contain the number of books needed to record them all. John records just a few of His miracles: changing water to wine, healing the nobleman’s son, healing the paralyzed man, and so on. He fed 5000 people with just a few loaves and fish. He healed multitudes with just a word. People thronged Him just to get close enough to briefly touch his clothing, and they were healed. Several times he literally brought dead people back to life. We have four books written shortly after His death, either by eye-witnesses, or in the case of Luke, someone who interviewed eyewitnesses, that record these miracles. No one who lived at that time ever wrote anything to deny that Jesus actually did these deeds. (see Luke 1:1-4 and 2 Peter 1:12-19).

III. The Witness of the Heavenly Father (John 5:37-38)

Peter heard the Father’s voice on the Mount of Transfiguration, but the heavenly Father had spoken audibly even before them, at Jesus’ baptism, about the identity of Jesus. It is recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels. Here is what it says in Matthew 3:16-17:

16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Both John the Baptist, and hundreds of people standing nearby, heard the voice of God authenticating Jesus as His beloved Son.

IV. The Witness of the Old Testament (John 5:39-47)

A. Many people mis-use the Bible. Satan quoted it to try to get Jesus to sin. Cultists quote it to support their false doctrines. The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day studied the Bible minutely to support their religion, but were blind as to its true meaning. Famous theologians of our own time (“The Jesus Seminar”) are combing the Gospels, and picking and choosing which verses are true in their estimation. Instead of humbling themselves under the Word of God, they have made themselves judges of the Word of God.

B. In order to understand the Bible you must have the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 2:9-14). You who have believed in Jesus have already received the Holy Spirit. He lives in you, and He makes you understand God’s Word.

C. The Old Testament is a book about Jesus, but it requires a lot of interpretation to see it. Jesus once took several hours to explain to two of His disciples how the Old Testament was all about Him (Luke 24:25-32). I wish we had the text of that lecture!

D. Christians today have something even better than the Old Testament, and that is the New Testament, for here the life of Christ and the meaning of His life and death is laid out for us fully and clearly as never before.

E. Why believe in either the Old or New Testaments? The best statement about this is in the Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter one, paragraph five:
“We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scripture. And the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it does abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.”

Conclusion: There are four witnesses that insist that we believe in Jesus both intellectually, and from the heart with saving Faith: 1) John the Baptist; 2) The works that Jesus did; 3) the voice of the heavenly Father; and 4) the testimony of the written Word of God. May God strengthen each of us in our Faith, both the faith of the mind, and also the faith in our hearts. Amen.