THE POWER OF THE CROSS PART TWO

 

John 12:34-50

In this fallen world system, every human being in his or her fallen condition suppresses the Light of this world. They suppress the truth about God and mostly the truth about their natural condition before a holy God. The reason for this is that man loves darkness and hates to be exposed to the Light of truth. So, mankind will do, and try, anything to suppress that truth from ever creeping into their lives. That can be done by using devises so you cannot see, or hear, with what is going on around you, as you comfortably sit in the reality that you have created for yourself.

 

That is the heart of these people,

for the most part.

 

If we were honest with ourselves, the same could be said of our present world system; if we were present at the time of Jesus. Its into the darkness that the Light of the world came, Jesus Christ. He was THE LIGHT of sense/wisdom, He brought the message of salvation for God the Father to mankind. He spent three years preaching that message thought-out the regions as He approached His hour of suffering. Its here, that Jesus is filled with a sense of urgency when He knows that He was about to be taken away and be killed. Despite their rejection, in His persistent love for sinners, Jesus extends to them one final invitation to acknowledge Him as Lord and Saviour.

 

This was His warning (v35-v36) Jesus gives this answer in light of their question, a question that declares them guilty for unbelief. Who is the Son of man? This question they ask, only demonstrates their belief that Jesus was not Him. “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever.” (v34) This is their reference to the entire Old Testament, not just the Pentateuch. Son of Man is a title of humanity… Son of man is simply a indirect term for “human”. Christ has come in the flesh” 1 John 4:2. Son of Man is a title of humility… Son of Man, born in a manger and “despised and rejected by mankind “Isaiah 53:3. Son of Man is a title of deity… Jesus is the Son of Man. As such, Jesus is the supreme example of all that God intended mankind to be, the embodiment of truth and grace. “In Him “all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” Col 2:9. Son of Man is a title of prophecy fulfilled as we read, “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” Dan 7:13-14

 

The Son of Man we understand to be is the Messiah, spoken of by Daniel, who is to reign forever. For them to ask this question is to reveal that the Son of Man cannot refer be the one who must be lifted up, or must die. To these people who questioned Jesus, they truly believed He was not the Son of Man who Daniel prophesied about. They couldn’t come to grips or reconcile a Jesus who predicted He would die; over the Messiah they hoped for who would be a triumphant conqueror. This would be their thoughts from Isaiah’s writings. “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” Isaiah 9:7

 

This is why they thought He was a conqueror and not a substitute to what John penned earlier. “When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” John 6:14-15

Unfortunately, for these people who were confused, the Son of Man would be all those things in His Second coming.

 

Jesus had to complete the mission in order to fulfill His promises as described by Isaiah and Daniel. ”For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

 

Jesus being lifted up would bring many sons into His glory, fulfilling everything the prophets spoke about the Son of Man. “For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.” Heb 2:10

 

The heart of the Christian message is that Christ

came to give His life a ransom for many.

 

That is, to die for many. That is. to save many from their sin, from its guilt, and from the power and penalty in eternal punishment. So, Jesus, once again gives His final appeal to Israel, His heart affection for Israel’s salvation. He does this by cautioning His listeners that He is leaving shortly, He is only here for a little while longer. “a little while” emphasizes the briefness of remaining time on earth. This statement was used before the unbelieving Jews, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” John 7:33-34. When Jesus is in the upper room with His disciples He said, “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.” John 13:33. He contrasts this with light and darkness, because the hour is at had, and darkness was approaching fast And those who failed to appropriate the light would lose it, as we see so many walking in darkness today, opposing the Light of truth and redemption. Light….  Is reference to the glorious promise to those who come to the Light of His gospel. Darkness…. Is in contrast to daytime, when most people of that day walked in. In those days to be out after dark, you would be lost, susceptible to danger, under the pitch blackness of the starless, moonless night. The only way to avoid danger is to walk in the light, the only way to avoid spiritual darkness is to believe in the Light.

 

How powerful is this Light?

 

Jesus said this Light shines for others to see in His children,. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matt 5:14-16

 

Paul wrote, “for at one time, you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” Eph 5:8

 

Its this Light that will not strive with men forever, and while the Light is here, you are to trust, walk, and believe in Him. The radiance of this Light is is the glory of God in Christ, coming into a dark world. And the said reality is that when sinners persistently reject Christ and the gospel,

God may ultimately remove His grace, and judge them. This only happens after extraordinary patience of God. We know that Nehemiah records God’s extraordinary patience. “Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.” Neh 9:30. Throughout the reigns of several kings, its here God demonstrated His longsuffering towards them. (Neh 9:30a) Through countless acts of grace, and patience, God gave them over to darkness of the lands because of their rebellious and unbelieving hearts. (Neh 9:30b) Its in their rebellion that God lamented for His people. “I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes.” Psalm 81:10-14

 

Its here that the Light of Man would soon be gone; and Jesus demonstrates His love for fallen sinners to believe in who He claimed to be. (Because to not believe is devastating) Paul talks about God’s wrathful judgement and the fire that consume the sinner. Romans 1:18-32. The Hebrew writer takes about the judgment will be severe for those who heard the truth and do nothing with the truth. Heb 10:26-27. Those who do not embrace the full gospel, embrace Jesus in saving faith, will face God’s vengeance, wrath, and judgement in eternal punishment. After Jesus spoke these words we see the mark, the climax of the Lord’s public ministry to Israel. (v37b)

 

Jesus departed, and went away. (v36b)

 

This is where we see the fatal cause of unbelief. (v37) Jesus performed so many miracles which were unmistakably authentic, which left no one without excuse for Israel’s unbelief. The people hardened their hearts against the truth so much; even if someone was raised from the dead as with Lazuras, they still wouldn’t believe. Jesus gives us a glimpse into this truth when He spoke of the rich and poor man. “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” Luke 16:19-31

See, Israel’s rejection of the Son of Man was not merely foreseen, this was God’s sovereign design and plan for redemption for many. (v38-v40) Israel’s rejection was years of rebellion, misused privileges, and forsaking of Divine truth. Isaiah spoke of the nation as.. blind, hardened, unable to understand even the simple truth about redemption, because of their rebellious hearts. The terrible result was that when the truth came in the person of Jesus Christ, many could not believe. The outcome of Jesus’ gospel plea would fulfill what the Prophet Isaiah said in his letter. Thinking they could see; they were spiritually blind as Isaiah proclaimed in Isaiah 6 when he was in the presence of a holy God. John quotes Isaiah 6 because he wants us to know this is God’s sovereign plan according to the Scriptures that this was His judgement act on His part, as you read Romans chapter 9-11 in its entirety.

 

We know this rejection has brought about the good for others to taste the gospel of Jesus of Christ. “So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.” Rom 11:11. Their rebellion has brought about the grafting in of the Gentile world. Its here in their rejection, and God’s sovereign plan, we need to be careful when we see the word “Hardened” is used. Leon Morris wrote, “When John quotes, “he has blinded their eyes”… he does not mean that the blinding takes place without the will, or against the will of these people….These men chose evil. It was their own deliberate choice, their fault. Make no mistake about that.” D A Carson added, “God’s judicial; hardening is not presented as the capricious manipulation of an arbitrary potentate cursing morally neutral or even morally pure beings, but as a holy condemnation of a guilty people who are condemned to do and be what they themselves have chosen.” What this means is that those who persistently harden their hearts against God may find themselves hardened by Him. That is evident in the hardening of Pharoah heart, it is noted in Scripture that Pharoah hardened his own heart 10 times in the Book of Exodus. But its also recorded that God hardened Pharoah’s heart 10 times as well. That’s the dangers of hardening our hearts to the gospel.

But this is also why John quotes Isaiah, because he spoke clearest evangelistic texts in the Old Testament. “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7

 

The personal choice involved in rejecting Jesus is revealed in the coming verses. According to (v42) their faith was inadequate, weak and counterfeit. Why? The nation tasted and had the blessings, that no one had, but they continued to squander them for the sake of the praises from men. (v41-v43) John writes that some believed in Him, but we know, this is superficial because of their fear of the Pharisees. Why? They loved their self-exalting religion, and their prestigious positions in the synagogues and the Sanhedrin so much that they refused Christ. A prime example of this is found in Luke’s gospel. ““Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” 

Luke 19:10-14

 

This is a tragic statement into the hearts of many people even today. Seeking the praises of men whether its on social media or in person. These men were counterfeits, as so many in churches today, false, and not genuine followers of God and it demonstrated that they had superficial religion. Fallen men and woman by their nature are self-seeking, self-preserving, and not God seeking. In Matthew’s gospel Jesus warned His disciples about the dangers of seeking profits from this world system? “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” Matt 16:16

 

How can you truly believe Jesus, but

seek the glory from men?

Such love seeking from this world showed that they didn’t love God. And sadly, this end leads to destruction and sorrow for all eternity. Make this personal…Think about someone you know who lives like this today; doesn’t that break your heart? “they loved the glory that comes from man than the glory that comes from God.” Since Jesus was already withdrawn and the words spoken in (v44-v50) were not spoken on this occasion. John includes them here to summarize the fateful consequences of belief and unbelief. The opening of this section reveals that its impossible to believe in the Father, and not believe in the Son. What Jesus says here is that those who believe in Christ enjoy a personal knowledge of both the Father and the Son. “And whoever sees Me sees Him who sent Me.” This statement will be brought back up again when Phillip asks to see the Father. “Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.” John 14:8-11

 

What Jesus says in this chapter, and when He is with His disciples is this, “He that has seen my works, heard my doctrines, and understood my character, and have given attention to the proofs that I have afforded, is that I came from God.” “If you have seen Me, you are seeing the Father.” The perfections, the glories of the Godhead which are in the Father are in Me, and the same that are in Him are in me. Jesus is declaring that I am the very image of Father, and Jesus possesses the same nature, attributes, and glory, that God the Father is; so that he that sees the one, sees the other. As the Hebrew writer said, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” Heb 1:1-3

 

“If you have seen Me, you are 

seeing the Father.”

 

This is the beauty of the Incarnate Son of God. Light has come and He is rescuing sinners out of darkness and transferring them as sons of the Light. As Paul wrote, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Col 1:13-14. Those who believe will not remain in darkness, because we are “rescued” from the domain of darkness. Praise God for such patience and mercy towards you and I. But, here is the fateful consequences of belief and unbelief. Failure to believe and failure to obey Jesus Christ is the characteristics of the unconverted, the unbeliever. (v44-v50)

 

Jesus said, “whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” John 3:36

 

Paul wrote, “but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.” Rom 2:8

 

In 2 Thess 1:8 we read, “in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”

 

Titus 1:16 we read, “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.”

 

Peter wrote, “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” 1 Peter 4:17

 

Those who reject the truth Jesus taught condemn themselves.

Those who refuse His salvation will receive His perfect judgement.

 

What Jesus says will determine people’s eternal destiny, not because who He is, but because He speaks on behalf of the Father. (v49-v50) What is the application for us today as we sit here in worship of Him. Simple! Believe in Him, for this is your only hope. We don’t find eternal hope in our parents, relatives, the work place and especially in ourselves. We find it in Him alone, The Christ who came to display the glory of the Godhead so that we see and taste the beauty of God in the person of Jesus Christ. So that we could be forgiven, and given second chance, to love Him the way we were intended to love Him. To do otherwise, only brings upon judgement and eternal fire. That’s the application of this text this morning.

 

Will you remain in seeking the glory from man or will you glorify Him, the one

who came to save your wretched soul from yourself?

 

See! What is tragic about this last plea for Israel to turn to Him, is that a generation later Israel would fall at the hands of the Romans. Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed and people would be scattered and be troubled by the discipline by God, even as we see today. But even in there destruction, it is here we see the mercy and great love that God has for His chosen people, “Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy.” Rom 11:25-31

 

You could ask, “Why would He want to still redeem such a rebellious people? All you have to do to answer that question is to look in the mirror and ask that same question to yourself. Christ came so that we would believe in Him, as Light came to deliver sinners out of darkness. And this is the message God has given us, the church to proclaim to the world. For those who believe, this should be our goal to please Him in the fulfillment of the task He has assigned to us, to walk in the footsteps of Christ.

 

How? Through the power of the Cross.