In view of the Christmas season, we began a new sermon series last Sunday to examine John’s unique portrayal of Jesus’ mission. Each week until the end of December, we will consider a different aspect of why Jesus entered our world through various encounters and teachings in John’s Gospel. In the first sermon of our Christmas series, we had the privilege of Javis Cheng to preach God’s word from John 5:1-30, exploring how Jesus came to do the Father’s work. The passage begins with a miracle, where Jesus heals a man who has been unable to walk. As the Jewish religious leaders oppose Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, Jesus provides His defence by claiming an exclusive Father-Son relationship with God and the same equal divinity with God. Far from being a rival to God the Father, Jesus makes clear that His relationship is one of complete interdependence. Jesus chooses only to do what the Father does, while the Father also chooses only to do His work through the Son. We see the intimate relationship between the Father and the Son, fueled by perfect love and unity - where the Father gives all things to the Son, including authority over life and judgement. Jesus has come to please the Father, to do what the Father is doing, and to be glorified as He completes the Father’s will by His death on the cross.
