NOTE: For my complete 1st person narrative sermon on this text, see 1-3 John: Fellowship in the Family (Wheaton: Crossway, 2013), 223-30.
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Court is now in session! In 1 John 5:6-12, John summons witnesses to testify to the truth that Jesus is the Son of God.
“I call the water of the Jordan River to the witness stand.”
“Water of Jordan, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” “I do,” replies the water.
John begins: “You were there that day Jesus was baptized; please tell us what you saw.” “Yes,” answered the water. “I was there. Jesus walked down until he was about waist deep in my waters where John the Baptist was standing. John immersed him and raised him up.
I saw something very unusual occur after that. At first, there was Jesus standing in me, but I also saw the heavens were opened and there was a visual sign of a dove that descended on him. I heard a voice speak from heaven and it said: ‘This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.’”
“Thank you, water. I have no further questions. You may step down from the witness stand,”
John continues, “I call the blood of Jesus to the witness stand.” “Blood of Jesus, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” “I do,” responds the blood.
“You were there that day Jesus was crucified. Tell us what you observed.”
“Yes, I can testify that at his trial before Pilate, Jesus was scourged. The punishment left his back a bloody mess. The crown of thorns caused me to stream down his face. When he was placed on the cross and the nails were driven into his hands and in his feet, I flowed from his body. As the blood of Jesus, I bear testimony that Jesus is the Son of the living God.”
John replies, “Thank you, blood of Jesus, you may step down from the witness box.”
“I call a third witness to the stand: the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?” John queried. “Yes, I am the Spirit of truth,” replies the Holy Spirit.
“Holy Spirit, were you present during the earthly life of Jesus?” “Yes. I was present at his birth; I was present at his baptism; I was present during his earthly life; and I was present at his crucifixion, his resurrection, and his ascension. I was present with him in heaven in eternity past before the incarnation and I will be present with him for all eternity.”
“Holy Spirit, is it your testimony that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God?” John asks. “I bear witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God,” replies the Holy Spirit.
“Thank you Holy Spirit; you may step down,” says John.
“I would like to call a fourth witness to the stand,” says John. “I call God the Father to testify.”
“Heavenly Father, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?” “I do,” says the Father.
“Heavenly Father, do you recognize this man Jesus? Is he indeed your Son whom you sent to this earth?”
“Yes,” replies the Father. “He is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
John continues, “Do you testify that he and he alone is your Son and the only way of salvation?”
“Yes. From the very beginning, Jesus is the only-begotten Son; one with me throughout eternity as the third person of the Trinity. I foretold his coming into the world in the incarnation through my prophets. I sent John the Baptist as his forerunner. I sent an angel to Mary to announce to her that she was my choice to be the human mother of Jesus.
As a man, Jesus entered his ministry and was baptized. The heavens opened and I spoke and said ‘this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.’ The night before his crucifixion, he called out to me, ‘Father if it can be your will let this cup pass.’ But it was not my will. And I turned over my only Son to evil men to crucify. But I did it for a purpose and he did it willingly. This purpose was to make an atonement for your sins.”
“My Son Jesus was crucified, buried, but three days later, I raised him from the dead. Forty days later he ascended to heaven where today he sits at my right hand. One day I will determine the time has come, and my Son will come again to this earth.”
“I give eternal life as a gift, and this eternal life is in my Son, Jesus. So say I, God, the Father.”
After a pause that seemed to last an eternity, John spoke with reverent softness: “Thank you Father, you may step down from the witness box.”
John declares, “I call the twins ‘Whoever’ to the stand.”
John intones. “Do you both swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” “We do.”
John turns to the first whoever and asks, “Whoever, have you come to Jesus Christ and found him to be the Savior of your sins?” “I have,” responds “Whoever.” “Do you then testify concerning the truth of what I myself have said about Jesus in my writings?” asks John. “I do indeed,” says Whoever. “Jesus is the Son of God who has given me the gift of eternal life.”
“Thank you, Whoever,” John says.
Turning to the other Whoever, John asks, “Have you come to Jesus Christ and found him to be the Savior of your sins?”
“I have not,” responds Whoever. “John looks at him and in a stern voice says, “Do you refuse to believe the testimony that God the Father himself has borne in this very courtroom?”
“I do indeed,” says Whoever without blinking an eye. “I believe God is a liar about what he has said concerning Jesus. He has perjured himself under oath.”
Stunned silence fills the courtroom. Mouths are agape. Finally John speaks: “Thank you, Whoever. You may both step down from the witness box.”
John turns to the jury and now begins his closing argument: “The testimony of the witnesses is clear and irrefutable. God has given us eternal life and this life is in his Son, Jesus. He who has the Son possesses this eternal life. He who does not have the Son of God does not have eternal life.”
“I rest my case.”