1 John 5:9-13
If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
This morning’s reading reminds me of the one about a lawyer named Mr. Jones who was questioning his witness, Mr. Smith, during a murder trial. Mr. Jones asked Mr. Smith, “Can you tell us what the deceased said before he died?” “Why, yes, I can!” Mr. Smith proudly responded. The judge quickly interjected, “Now hold on a minute. I’m not sure if it could be considered hearsay if I allowed Mr. Smith to continue.” This led to a long argument between both lawyers and the judge regarding the admissibility of Mr. Smith’s testimony. After a couple of hours of deliberation, the judge called for a recess while he consulted his legal books. It took the judge several hours to search through his legal text, so much so that court was adjourned for the day. Unfortunately, this exchange happened on a Friday with Monday being a public holiday. On Tuesday, everyone reconvened in the courtroom, where the judge ruled that Mr. Smith’s testimony would be admissible. Mr. Jones proceeded to begin questioning Mr. Smith again. “Mr. Smith,” he began, “can you please tell us what the deceased said before he died?!” With a big ole grin on his face, Mr. Smith gleefully shouted, “Yes, I can! He said ‘Ugh!’ and died.”
All that fuss over what?! If only that judge had let Mr. Smith give his testimony, then perhaps the trial wouldn’t have been unnecessarily delayed an extra 4 days! But no, he had to overthink Mr. Smith’s testimony, perhaps with possible motives for giving it or how it would be received by those in the courtroom. But that isn’t a judge’s job to determine the motive behind a witness’s testimony or how it may be heard by others. No, a judge’s job is simply to oversee the exchange of testimonies and allow them to speak for themselves. A judge’s job is simply to maintain order in the courtroom. And besides, Mr. Smith’s 5-word testimony wasn’t all that controversial anyways. He spoke a simple truth and nothing but a simple truth…one that we could all speak.
Scripture attests to many profound truths about God and the world around us. Sometimes God reveals those truths himself. Sometimes He allows his creation to reveal them. Think back to the early wisdom of Genesis, when God made covenants with Noah to never destroy the world and with Abraham to make him a father of many nations. In Exodus, we heard God promise Moses He would set the Egyptian slaves free and make them the great nation of Israel. In 2nd Samuel, we again heard God promise David that his heirs would forever reign over Israel. Many of his heirs did reign over Israel until finally Jesus, one of David’s heirs, came along and took the throne forever. And not just reigning over Israel but all of God’s creation. The reign of Jesus is the 5th key covenant or promise God makes with us. The five covenants reveal that our God is a God of promise and hope. Our God is a God of relationship. Our God wants to be in relationship with us and gives us hope.
Now then, recall the few instances in the Old Testament when God spoke about himself, mainly with Moses. Recall how Moses asked God for God’s name to give to the enslaved Israelites and God responded, “I am who I am.” (Exodus 3:14) A simple yet profound truth about who God is. Moses went on to regularly meet with God on top of Mt. Sinai. In one encounter, we hear God describe himself as “the Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” (Exodus 34:6) Again, simple yet profound truths about who God is.
Besides to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, God spoke very little to anyone else in scripture. It wasn’t until Jesus came along and gave voice to God again. I’ll try not to get in a heretical trap as far as Jesus speaking as God or Jesus speaking on behalf of God. Let’s just leave it at “gave voice to God.” But Jesus was and is the embodiment of what God spoke about himself to Moses: merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Jesus IS God! Plain and simple!
What does any of this have to do with our reading for today? All the witnesses of scripture, from Adam to Noah to Abraham to Moses to David to all the kings and prophets to all the faithful disciples of Jesus…even to God himself…they all attest to the truth of John’s words. “And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Friends, our God is a God of promise and hope. More importantly, He is a God of life! Our God gave life to the witnesses of scripture and our God gives life to us. Our God gave life to Adam and to Noah, Abraham and Moses, David and all the faithful believers of Christ. Mercy, grace, patience, love…qualities of God that all encourage life!
We all have a testimony to offer about how God graciously gives life. I think back on the week I just spent in New Orleans and marvel at all the displays of abundant life. Everything from the vibrant zoo and aquarium and insectarium to the convention center and arenas filled with teenagers to the streets and marketplaces bustling with activities to the poor neighborhood strewn with garbage…it all screamed of God’s awesome creation! Our God is a God of promise and hope and life! Sometimes God reveals it himself, sometimes He lets his creation reveal it. I can’t help but cry out as David cried out in his 66th psalm: “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me.” (66:16)
It’s a simple but profound truth and witness. Our God blesses each of us with rich and abundant life. He even blessed us with eternal life through his Son as John tells us. Let us rejoice and celebrate God’s abundant gifts of life. God is good, thanks be to God! In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
