He Chose you on purpose, for a purpose! John 13:18-30

HE KNOWS YOU, DO YOU KNOW HIM? (or, “SHEEP, GOATS, [and an occasional wolf]”)

John 13:18-30 Introduction: John 13 began in the upper room, a last meal for Jesus to share with His disciples. Looking to give them an object lesson, to reinforce His teaching with a living, powerful illustration, He, their Master and teacher, washed the feet of His disciples, revealing the attitude of a servant, calling them to think of others before themselves. And now, even through the unfolding story of His betrayal, Jesus was working to reveal His glory and to show His love. The teacher was still teaching, building their faith, equipping them for life and ministry without His physical presence.

The Big Idea: We should examine our hearts to be sure we know Him, and then live in such a way that it is evident that we do!

I. Jesus knows the truth about us: He predicted His betrayal by Judas in order to strengthen the other disciples’ faith (13:18a). Jesus said in verse 17, “If you know these things, happy are you if you do them.” His disciples were to be doers of the word, and not hearers only! But He wasn’t telling that to everyone in the room. The works He was calling them to do had to spring from genuine faith. Jesus knows His sheep, and He knows the hearts of the goats! He realized that his lesson on serving one another as He had served them was not actually relevant to everyone in the room. “I do not speak concerning all of you…” His message applied to the believers in the room—even Jesus was dealing with a mixed multitude. In virtually every context where the Bible is preached or taught not every hearer is in the same place spiritually. Before we can follow Him we have to know Him. This is a warning against presumption. Judas walked with Jesus, he was surrounded by believers and in close proximity to the Master himself. But he did not know Him. Being in church is a good thing. You have a chance to hear the truth and to learn about God. Going to church is not a substitute for personally trusting Jesus as the Savior and Lord of your life.

“I know whom I have chosen…”

Elections are coming up this year in which Americans will choose the leaders who will set the course for our nation for the coming years. I hope you are all registered to vote and informed on the issues! The verb here is eklegomai transliterated into English “to elect.” John uses it in three other contexts of those He had chosen as his disciples, to carry out his mission. We read in 6:70,

Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!"

15:16 says "You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain…”

Finally in 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

I am 6' now, but when I was a middle school student and into high school I was kind of short and scrawny, and usually, when they were picking teams for a game I was one of the last ones chosen. You have been chosen by God himself to be a part of His team. If you have trusted Jesus as your Savior and Lord, think about this: He has chosen you out of the world and appointed you to have a part in His mission to the world! I was visiting a dear brother in the hospital this week and we spoke about this passage. He pointed me to Jeremiah 1 where God was calling the prophet in Jeremiah 1:5,

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."

Before you were coneived you were known by God. According to Paul before the world itself was created He knew you and chose you! You are exactly the one He wanted! He knows you, with all your flaws and weaknesses, and He will use you, if you will yield yourself to Him. We should examine our hearts to be sure we know Him, and then live in such a way that it is evident that we do!

II. Jesus is God, so He knew what was happening, he knew the truth about Judas: Ironically, His betrayal was a fulfillment of Scripture and so a vindication of Jesus’ identity: He is the great I AM (13:18b-25).

Prophecy has purpose, to reveal, to testify to God’s nature and to reveal His plan. Jesus’ betrayal by Judas was a fulfillment of Scripture and so a vindication of Jesus identity. The citation of Scripture and the prediction of His impending betrayal (v.18,19) is a further revelation that He is the great I AM. He talks about this before hand so his disciples will “believe” Think of this, not only the cross, but betrayal by a friend were prophesied centuries before!

“…but [all of this happened so…] that the Scripture might be fulfilled that says, ‘He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me’…”

Prophecy was being fulfilled: this a prophetic statement in Psalm 41:9. The writing of this scripture before it happened on the pages of the Hebrew Bible is a further testimony, more evidence, vindicating the identity of Jesus.

“…that… you may believe that I AM [He]” (13:19).

Without the fuller understanding of what Jesus has revealed about himself, this statement would almost be incomprehensible: “Now I tell you, before it happens, so that when it does happen, you will know, that I AM…” I AM what? The NKJV fills in “I am He,” that is the promised One, the One that spoke to Moses in the wilderness, I AM that I AM.” The fulfillment of prophesy written in Scripture and spoken by Jesus would be one more means that He used to build the faith of the disciples, and to confirm His identity as God the Son—the Great I AM. V.20 hints at the mission that faces the church. “He who accepts anyone I send accepts me; whoever accepts me accepts the One who sent me…” It anticipates the words of Christ after the resurrection, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20:21). God had a mission for the Son to complete—to provide salvation through his death on our behalf. Now he has a mission for us to carry out: proclaiming the gospel of salvation by grace through faith to the world. We are sent! You are sent! You have a mission field that you touch on a daily basis. And if they reject you, don’t take it personally, it’s Jesus that they are rejecting. Though Jesus knew the heart of Judas, He was nevertheless “deeply troubled” by his treachery. Judas was with Him for three years. Walking, talking, living, their relationship was as disciple and teacher. Jesus took no pleasure in the reprobate heart of Judas. It hurt Him, it troubled Him that Judas would turn his back on Him. We see the heart of Jesus, his compassion, his full humanity alongside His absolute divinity. We saw the same word in 12:27, there his “soul” was troubled over the impending passion, here his imminent betrayal left Him “troubled. We need to watch for wandering sheep. We need to be diligent in teaching the truth so that goats among the sheep will be convicted of their need. The question of John, instigated by Peter, may have been motivated by lingering doubt, “could it be me?” That might be better than presumption (22-25)! It may be that Judas was deceiving himself up to the last minute. Covering up his sin, hiding his treacherous intentions from the others (all but Jesus that is!). Some think Judas may have even justified his actions thinking that he was forcing Jesus to show his hand and to reveal his power. I can’t count the number of times I have counseled with people who were engaging in sin, and justifying their behavior – God wants me to be happy, this is different from other cases we love each other (but are you married), we are really committed (but, are you married), you don’t know my heart (no, but God does!). Sometimes, “I believe the Lord has led me to do this…” (Well, if it is in direct contradiction to His Word, its not the Lord that is leading you!). We should examine our hearts to be sure we know Him, and then live in such a way that it is evident that we do!

III. Jesus is God, and He was in control, over-ruling even The Darkness and the Devil to accomplish His purpose (26-30).

13.26-In response to John’s question Jesus gave an answer, that apparently wasn’t understood by John (or Peter), until perhaps after the cross. Based on vv.28-29 it seems like still no one got what Jesus said, they suspected nothing about Judas. Even as Jesus handed the bread to Judas it seems that Peter and John were blinded to what Jesus had just said: “Ok, you’re giving us bread, and it’s one of us?” Back in v.2 we read that the devil had put treachery in Judas’ heart – now it goes further in v.27, “Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him…” The word is striking here, the bread entered Judas, then Satan entered him. It’s clear that the enemy was working, seeking to destroy Jesus, seeking to defeat this intrusion of Good into this world of evil. Of course He was just as oblivious it seems to God’s plan as were the disciples. Remember the scene in the “Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” where Aslan had delivered himself up to ransom Peter from the clutches of the witch? He he surrenders himself to be bound, and laid on the stone table, and the witch plunges a knife through his heart. Celebration—for a moment. She thought her enemy was beaten. That seems to have been Satan’s thinking—oblivious to what God was doing in allowing Jesus to go to the cross. But apparent defeat would be turning into overwhelming victory! In 27b, was Jesus talking to Satan or to Judas (or to both)? He said what you do, do quickly. He had no plans to interfere, no intention of exposing him to the other disciples so that they would intervene, in fact it may be He is sending Judas out before it dawns on John and Peter what Jesus had just said, “It’s to the one I give the morsel of bread…” “Get out of here (while you can!) and get it done!” It’s clear that Jesus is in control, He is directing the unfolding of this story. The leaves are starting to change. Fall is still a week away officially, by have you noticed it’s getting dark earlier?... That little phrase at the end of v.30, “And it was night.” That was the time of day, but by now “light and darkness” conveys a deeper meaning to the reader of John. The light shined in the darkness, but the darkness did not comprehend it. The prince of darkness sought to snuff out the Light of the World. Dawn will come.

What is God saying to me in this passage?

It’s not God’s purpose in giving us this story—nor is it mine in preaching from it—to cause you to doubt your salvation. It is a good thing however to allow the Word, from time to time, to push us to take an honest look in the mirror, and first of all to make certain that we have trusted in Jesus as our Savior and Lord. We should examine our hearts to be sure we know Him, and then live in such a way that it is evident that we do!

What would God have me to do in response to this passage?

First of all, we should be cautioned against the danger of presumption. There was an old chorus that sang, “If you think this business of serving the Lord is just singing in the choir or serving on the board, you’ve just been kidding yourself…” Going to church won’t save you. Giving money won’t save you. Just as the blood had to be applied over the door of the Jews in Egypt for the firstborn to be spared, the blood of the Lamb must be applied to our heart through faith in Jesus. Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to His cross I cling. For those who have done that, think about this, He knew you and chose you before you were ever conceived, before the world was created. He chose you on purpose, for a purpose. Are you willing to allow Him to use you however He would chose? In light of what He was done for us, it’s the least we can do! Amen.

Improving your Serve! John 13:1-17

Improving your Serve John 13:1-17

Introduction: I remember hearing Dr. James Dobson telling the story of a couple he was counseling. The husband had gotten very frustrated with his wife’s lack of care in the cleanliness of the house. She just didn’t seem to care that he worked all day and wanted to come home to a clean house. Well one day he came home and saw a chicken bone under the table! The worst thing was they weren’t having chicken for dinner, that was two nights ago! He was furious. He determined not to say anything, but to wait and see how long it took her to pick up that chicken bone. Each day he would come home and look, and sure enough that bone was still there. Finally, after a week, he could take it any more and he exploded. “Don’t you see that chicken bone?!” he shouted. “Do you realize that has been there all week?” His wife calmly replied, “That chicken bone has been there all week? Why didn’t you pick it up?” Sometimes we get so focused on “what we have coming to us,” that the idea of serving someone else just doesn’t come to mind. I remember the story of a student at a Bible school in the Philippines who became disturbed over the condition of the men’s rooms. When nothing was done to eliminate the filth, he took matters into his own hands and complained to the principal of the school. A little while later, the student noticed the problem was being corrected, but he saw with amazement that the man with the mop and pail in hand was the principal himself! Later the student commented: “I thought that he would call a janitor, but he cleaned the toilets himself. It was a major lesson to me on being a servant and, of course, it raised a question in my own mind as to why I hadn’t taken care of the problem!” A servant attitude is revealed by our actions. If we really love one another like Jesus said we should, are we willing to serve one another? Jesus showed His love by dying as a sacrifice for sinners when “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:8). As the Lord Himself will say a little further on in John, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Paul reminded the Ephesians, “Christ… loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma …” (Eph. 5:2). “We know love by this,” John wrote, “that He laid down His life for us” (1 John 3:16). Love is not just an emotion, it is a choice that shows itself in action. James said “faith without works is dead…” I think the biblical evidence would affirm the parallel truth that “love without works is dead…” Jesus showed his love, by becoming a servant. Do you have the mind of Christ? Do you have the attitude of a servant? How do you react one someone treats you like one? The Big Idea: Jesus showed His love for us by taking the form of a humble servant. We show our love by our willingness to serve.

I. AN ACT OF SERVANTHOOD: A Servant exemplifies love that never fails (13:1-5).

The scene described here in John 13 would have been shocking, unthinkable. Not only a respected teacher, their Rabbi, but the One they had come to know as the Son of God, humbling himself as a lowly servant. Washing feet—It was such a lowly act of service that there was a rabbinic law that no male Jewish servant should be required to do it, it was for foreigners, or women or children. Jesus had a way of turning the world’s expectations upside down. First the setting is outlined in 13:1… Passover, His hour had come, specifically the hour of His departure and return to the Father, He loved his own, to the end. (The NIV says, “He now showed them the full extent of 1His love” That certainly is true: greater love has no man than this: that he lay down his life for his friends). This is an example of a servant’s heart, an act done by Jesus to teach his disciples, and it is motivated by love. He loved them to the end. By the way, if you know Jesus as Savior and Lord you can have that same assurance. He has showed His love for you, and His love for you will never fail. Paul said in Romans 8:35-39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” His love for you won’t fail! V.2 gives us a little more information about the moment, the devil already put treachery in Judas’ heart… The story was unfolding exactly as Jesus knew it would. Rather than thinking of himself He used the opportunity to teach His disciples, to prepare them a little more for continuing as a body, as a family, without his physical presence. Think about what v.3 is saying: Jesus knew the Father had put all things into his hands. He was in control, he had all authority. Judas was about to betray him and he doesn’t raise a hand to stop him. Jesus knew who he was and where he was from and here he was going. God the Son. And he does this most humble service for his disciples, including Judas! Jesus showed His love for us by taking the form of a humble servant. We show our love by our willingness to serve.

II. A LESSON ABOUT GRACE: Jesus came to provide salvation and the means to grow in holiness and to maintain fellowship with God (13:6-11).

This lesson on servanthood is only one step toward the greatest demonstration of the suffering servant, when Jesus willingly goes to the cross. Many years later Peter would write,

“You were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18–19).

In the same epistle he wrote that “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). Besides teaching his disciples a lesson about humility and serving one another, there is also a spiritual symbolism to this scene. In John 13:6-10 we read

6 And so He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, "Lord, do You wash my feet?" 7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you shall understand hereafter." 8 Peter said to Him, "Never shall You wash my feet!" [He felt himself unworthy] Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." 9 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." [He didn’t think before talking, but wanted to relate his total commitment to Jesus] 10 Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you."

(He knew Judas’ heart…) On a spiritual level, once we are cleansed, saved by grace through faith in Christ, we don’t need to get saved again. We don’t need another bath, but we do need to regularly have our feet washed. I think at a spiritual level this refers to the confession of sin that should characterize the life of a believer in Jesus. John said in his first letter,

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Confession and cleansing go together. We’ve been forgiven, once and for all, through faith in Christ. Why then does John talk about confession? The verbal tense reflects the idea of an ongoing, repeated action, something that is characteristic of the life of a believer. Because we are still in this fallen world and because we have a nature that is redeemed but still affected by sin, we still sin. When we do, we are convicted by the Spirit, and confess our sin. If you’ve trusted Jesus as your Savior you’ve been washed in the blood of the Lamb! You are clean. You have eternal life. But, our feet still get dirty as we walk through this world, and they need regular washing. Would I be pushing this too far to say that one aspect of washing each others’ feet, of loving as Jesus loved, is to be willing to forgive, as Christ has forgiven us? Paul said in Ephesians 4:2

“…with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,..”

If confession and cleansing are necessary for Christians to maintain fellowship with God, isn’t dealing with the things that would separate us from one another necessary? Confession, confrontation, forgiveness. Willingness to do these humbling acts will deepen our relationships with one another. Is it hard? At times. But remember that Jesus showed His love for us by taking the form of a humble servant. We show our love by our willingness to serve.

III. A CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP THROUGH SERVANTHOOD (13:12-17).

The disciples were concerned about which of them was greatest, Jesus shows them that is the wrong question—rather they should be asking how they can follow the example of their master, by serving others. So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them,

"Do you know what I have done to you? 13 "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”

Jesus is using powerful imagery here. By now the disciples had an idea of who Jesus is, the Son of God. Yet we know from the other gospels, that once again, at the last supper, they were discussing which of them was greatest! Jesus got up from the table and served them in the most humble way imaginable. He, their teacher and Lord, washed their dusty feet. Then he tells them it was a lesson, as He served them, they should serve on another. Its not human nature! The mantra of fallen humans is to “Look out for number one!” It’s all about me! Remember the story about the novelist who met an old friend? After they had talked for two hours, the novelist said, “Now we’ve talked about me long enough-let’s talk about you! What did you think of my last novel?” I was interested to read that one of Theodore Roosevelt’s own children commented about his self-centeredness: “When he went to a wedding, he wanted to be the bride. When he went to a funeral, he was sorry he couldn’t be the corpse!”

"Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

We are to be doers of the Word, and not hearers only.

What is God saying to me in this passage?

Jesus showed His love for us by taking the form of a humble servant. We show our love by our willingness to serve.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage?

Our human nature says look out for number one! Our natural tendency is to prioritize our own comfort. We all like to be loved and to receive love. Jesus says, “If you know these things…”, i.e. the lesson he has just taught about putting the needs of others before your own, about humbly serving in the name of Jesus, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” Shortly after WW2, Europe was in shambles, picking up the pieces. One of the saddest consequences of war then and now is the children who were orphaned. Early one chilly morning an American soldier was making his way back to his barracks in London. As he turned a corner he saw a little boy, dressed in rags with his nose pressed against the window of a bakery. .Inside, the cook was working on a batch of pastries. The soldier stopped, and walked over to where the boy was standing looking in the window. As the hot pastries came out of the oven the boy was pressed against the glass. The soldier’s heart went out to the boy next to him. “Would you like some of those?” the soldier asked. “Oh yeah, … I would!” The American bought a dozen and came out and gave the bag to the boy. He turned to walk back to his jeep and felt a tug on his coat. The boy looked at his face and asked, “Mister… are you God?” It may be, that when we serve others, thinking no one is watching, expecting nothing in return, that we reflect Jesus most clearly. AMEN.

"To Whom has the Arm of the Lord been Revealed?"

TO WHOM HAS THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED? John 12:37-50

Introduction: “Apologetics” is an area of study that relates not to saying “I’m sorry!” [Though that would be a valid and important study for another sermon!] but rather to defending the truth of the Christian Faith. We raised one question last week that has been put before the church for two millennia: If Jesus really is the Son of God and did the things the Bible says He did, why was He rejected by his own people? Part of the answer that is difficult to grasp is related in this context. Jesus died because God planned for Him to die so that we could be saved through faith in Him. The Context: Jesus had just spoken of his impending death/departure and called his listeners to believe in the Light. The last phrase of v.36 is interesting, the same word that appeared in 8:58, He was “…hidden…” from them. In both contexts it seems to me that is talking about more than the fact that suddenly he was gone and they couldn’t find Him. They couldn’t see, they couldn’t understand, He was hidden from them. God had a plan then that had to lead to Calvary, and He has a plan now that we should preach the cross, proclaim the Gospel, and call people to repentence and authentic faith in Jesus. The Big Idea: It was God’s plan for Jesus to be rejected by His own people, so that through His life, and His death and resurrection, He could reveal the way to eternal life.

I.THEN: The Scriptures predicted the unbelief of the Jews (37-41).

John 12:37 points to the problem:

“But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him…”

The wording here is quite emphatic: the signs were compelling evidence. There were many of them and they were done “before [there very eyes],” yet still they were not responding in faith! Its similar to the idea Peter presents in his sermon on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:23,

“Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God through miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did through him in your midst just as you yourselves also know…”

He was “…attested…” to them, publically revealed to a legal certainty by the miraculous signs he did. In this very context he opened the eyes of a man born blind (John 9) and raised from the dead a man who had been dead and buried for four days (John 11). Only God could do such things! Yet, despite the evidence, they were not believing in Him. The majority of those who saw Jesus still “…would not believe in Him… despite the signs He did…” They had the proof, the evidence of his teaching, the testimony of his mighty works, but still they held back. The “weren’t believing in Him…” Sometimes the failure to believe the warnings we receive can prove fatal. I read this report this week:

A San Diego man killed Friday by a grizzly bear in Alaska’s Denali National Park had been taking pictures of the animal for at least seven to eight minutes before the attack, park officials said Sunday. Richard White, 49, was between 50 and 100 yards away from the bear that ultimately mauled him to death, according to images found on his camera, park spokeswoman Maureen McLaughlin said. He is the first person to die in a bear attack in the history of the park, which covers 4.7 million acres. Hikers are typically advised to stay at least 300 yards away from a bear, McLaughlin said. The bear, which weighed approximately 600 pounds, was shot and killed by a state trooper as he was defending the spot where White's remains were found.

He was warned to keep a safe distance. What was he thinking? We’ll never know, maybe, “It will never happen to me. I’m not like others who might have been mauled. I’m quiet, keeping a low profile, and besides this grizzly isn’t acting like it’s very dangerous.” Until it killed him. There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. John gives an explanation of their unbelief in 12:38ff.:

“…that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, "LORD, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"

Notice there are two parallel statements in this verse that focus first on “words,” i.e. verbal testimony, and secondly on “works [the arm of the Lord].” He asks two rhetorical questions: 1) Who has believed our report?; and secondly, 2) “…and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed…” Believing, and having the truth of God’s powerful presence “revealed” are connected. The context is Isaiah 53, the powerful revelation of the suffering servant who would bear our sorrows and have the iniquity of us all laid on him. At the end of Isaiah 52 it prophesies that though he would be marred more than any man, he would be exalted, lifted up, and the nations would consider him (remember the Greeks had just come seeking him!). John then gives us another quote from Isaiah in Jn 12:39-41

“For this cause they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, 40 "He has blinded their eyes, and He hardened their heart; lest they see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and be converted, and I heal them." 41 These things Isaiah said, because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him.”

This quote comes from Isaiah 6, that tremendous scene where God is calling Isaiah and he gives him a glimpse of the heavenly throne room. God is so majestic and powerful that His glorious presence is more than Isaiah can take in: “Woe unto me I am undone…” Two things: First John explains that Isaiah saw HIS glory, i.e., Jesus’ glory. That was Jesus on the throne—He is God, Immanuel. Jesus was a man, but not merely a man. He was more than the babe of Bethlehem, more than the carpenter from Nazareth, more than itinerate preacher who attracted crowds and annoyed the leadership. John has been pounding away at a truth that is indispensable to our faith: the Deity of Christ. The Muslims will affirm that Jesus was a great prophet, many people even today will agree that He was a wonderful teacher. But if that is all you can say about Him according to John you are missing the point:

“In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…”

Jesus is eternal God, the Son. Think about it! The Creator came to die for your sins and mine! He is the One we worship, the One who’s Word we read. Secondly, it says here that they could not believe, because God hardened their hearts, he blinded their eyes. I believe one way that He did that was by sending a kind of messiah that they couldn’t fathom—it just didn’t compute. At that point in Jewish history, in the “fullness of time” when God sent forth His Son (Gal 4:4,5), they were not wired in their expectations to receive a humble servant, a suffering servant, a Lamb. It was God’s plan for them to reject Jesus—it was His plan to go to the cross. He was delivered up by the predetermined purpose and foreknowledge of God. He came to His own, but there was no question, absolutely no doubt, that He would be rejected by them, they would not receive Him. Ironically, His rejection was our only hope, and it was God’s only plan. So ironically, their rejection of Him fulfilled prophecy, confirmed His identity, and carried out the Father’s plan. *** It was God’s plan for Jesus to be rejected by His own people, so that through His life, and His death and resurrection, He could reveal the way to eternal life.

II. AND NOW: What kind of believer are you?

There were some who “believed” but were fearful to make their faith public (42-43). There seemed to have been some “secret believers” almost from the start. Here, many “believed” among the leaders but “were not confessing Him” before the Pharisees-lest they be excommunicated from the synagogue. Men like Joseph of Arimathea who would later expose himself (along with Nicodemus) by asking for the body of Jesus so that he could give him a respectable burial. It’s also clear that some who “believed,” did so in an inadequate way, not having the faith that saves. We saw that in John 2:23-25

“Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, beholding His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man for He Himself knew what was in man.”

Their faith was not saving faith, in some way it was partial incomplete. Some people have a mere, intellectual assent to certain facts of history. They believe in Jesus, that is, they believe he walked on the earth, taught good things, maybe even did miracles. But they have not trusted in Him alone as their only hope for salvation. They might believe in Jesus like they believe in George Washington, he’s a historical figure, but they are not trusting him to do anything for them today! Whether or not these leaders who “believed” had saving faith I’m not sure, but John is pointing out that a faithful disciple should not be a secret disciple. But before we’re too hard on these—are we faithful in letting those in our sphere of influence—those we bump shoulders with on a regular basis, do they know who we have believed? Or are we afraid to speak up-hesitant to risk offending them or losing their friendship? In verses 42-43 we see the motivation for their not publically affirming their faith: the cost seemed too high, these it said loved the praise of men more than they loved the praise of God. Authentic faith in Jesus illumines our understanding so that in Jesus we can see the invisible God (44-46). He’ll say again in chapter 14,

“He who has seen me has seen the Father…” (14:9).

Here he says “He who believes in me believes in the One who sent me…” (v.44); and “He who sees me has seen the one who sent me…” (v.45). In the first chapter of John we read that “No man has seen God at any time, but the only begotten Son, who is in the bossom of the Father, He has made him known…” (Jn 1:18). Think of that, as we read these stories of Jesus and consider His works and words, we are brought face to face with our Creator, the God who spoke this universe into existence! Faith means believing Him, taking Christ at His Word. The Word of Christ is the Truth that brings life: rejection of the Truth will condemn unbelievers (47-50). The idea that faith that requires signs, faith that demands proof, is inadequate, that idea has been repeatedly affirmed in this Gospel. Thomas will be the epitome of that teaching at the end of John 20 when, after the resurrection, He refuses to believe unless he cans see and touch “the evidence” for himself. Jesus answers “blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” God’s Word is truth, it is fact, it is absolutely reliable and it is self-authenticating. It doesn’t require justification or defense in order to be effective. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ.

What is God saying to me in this passage?

It was God’s plan for Jesus to be rejected by His own people, so that through His life, and His death and resurrection, He could reveal the way to eternal life. You’ve been warned—there are bears in the woods—there is only one place of safety, in Christ.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage?

Next Sunday is “Rally Day” for our Sunday School. We will be having a church breakfast in which well express thanks for our Sunday School teachers as they introduce a new semester of study. We invite you to be here, and to invite a friend or neighbor who isn’t part of a Bible preaching church. Some of our small groups that stopped for the summer will be restarting soon—a great opportunity to get involved and to invite a friend. Let’s seek to be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us… Amen.