The Glory of the Cross: The Beautiful Gift of Jesus

The Glory of the Cross: The Beautiful Gift of Jesus John 12:17-36

Context: One of the issues the early church faced was to understand and explain why God allowed Jesus to go to the cross. How could it be that the Jews failed to recognize their own messiah? If Jesus was God, and did the things the Bible said He did, why did they reject Him and turn Him over to the Romans? John is answering those questions by teaching us about God, showing us that His majesty and His sovereignty are so profound, so overwhelming, that God can even turn apparent defeat into victory, and He can over-rule the sinful intentions of men to accomplish His good purposes. Even the Cross, the rejection and murder of the sinless Son of God, is turned by Him into something glorious. [We are moving ahead a bit in John 12 to verse 17. Back on April 2nd, Palm Sunday, we looked at the story of the Triumphal Entry in John 12:12-19. You can still read the text of that message on the blog, go to the entry for April 2, 2012]. That part of the story points to Jesus, the Passover King, and is a call to worship Him. John 12:17-36 brings a somber note to the context as it reaffirms the aspect of the impending sacrificial death of Jesus. It also points to the paradoxical truth that the cross, and the death of Jesus, would be the moment of His glorification. It wasn’t a defeat, but the supreme demonstration of His love, and a vindication of his identity as the Son of God, the promised Messiah. The Big Idea: The Glory of God was revealed in the Cross of Christ. It is God’s glorious plan to save a remnant from every nation. By grace YOU have a part in that mission!

I. The Mission: The World and the Glory of God (12:17-26).

First, we see both the attraction and repulsion of the Life-giver in vv.17-19. After the meal and anointing of Jesus in the beginning of John twelve, came the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. At the beginning of the week that would lead up to the Passion, He was hailed as the Son of God, the King of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord. Following that event “The crowd that had been with Him when he called Lazarus from the tomb…” were in Jerusalem, still buzzing about the miracle—they couldn’t stop talking about what had happened, and the crowd grew, some true converts, many curious inquirers. They wanted to see what Jesus would do next! We also see here the Universal Appeal of the Gospel – The missionary plan of God (20-22). It’s a curious scene that isn’t really explained, simply stated that John 12:20,21 “Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. 21 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." We’ve seen a lot of hints in the Gospel of John that Jesus came to offer salvation to the world and to save for himself a people from every nation. Remember John the Baptist proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”(1:29). We read in the famous verse of John 3:16 that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” The Samaritans in John 4:42 called him the Savior of the world.” Twice so far, and again in this Chapter he’ll say, “I AM the Light of the world…” John is contrasting the mixed response of the Jews as “He came unto His own and His own received Him not…” with the openness of at least some gentiles to the Truth. This seems to be taken as a sign by Jesus that the hour was coming when the Son of Man would be lifted up and “draw all men unto himself.” The death of Jesus provided both the basis for our salvation and an example for a life of service (23-26). For 12 chapters Jesus has said that His hour was something still future, it wasn’t time yet. But now the “hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” V. 24 makes it clear that glory would come in an unexpected way: through His death. Vv.25-26 applies the truth that Jesus would be glorified through His passion, to those who would follow him. This is very parallel to the idea that Jesus expressed in Mark 8:34,35. After predicting his rejection, death and resurrection He said “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 "For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's shall save it.” There is no message of “easy believism” in the NT. We are to consider the cost of being a disciple. After all, the Glory of God was revealed in the Cross of Christ. It is God’s glorious plan to save a remnant from every nation. By grace YOU have a part in that mission.

II. The Message: The Cross and the Glory of God (12:27-36).

The willingness of Jesus to suffer brings glory to the Father (27-28a). We read, in John 12:27-28

27 "Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour '? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 "Father, glorify Thy name."

I am convinced that Jesus is alluding to Psalm 6 at this moment. Psalm 6:3-4

3 And my soul is greatly dismayed; But Thou, O LORD-- how long? 4 Return, O LORD, rescue my soul; Save me because of Thy lovingkindness.”

The psalms predicted the suffering of the King, the Messiah and Son of God. David, as a human king was praying to God, expressing his distress and asking for deliverance. Jesus alludes to the Psalm, but he doesn’t pray the prayer that David prayed. He didn’t pray to be saved so that through His death we could be saved. The testimony of the Father affirms His glorious plan (28b-30). John 12:28-30

28 "Father, glorify Thy name." There came therefore a voice out of heaven: "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." 29 The multitude therefore, who stood by and heard it, were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, "An angel has spoken to Him." 30 Jesus answered and said, "This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes.”

The testimony of the Father… As He had at the baptism of Jesus, as He did on the Mount of transfiguration, now again the Father speaks, this time in response to the words of Jesus. These events, the sending of Jesus into the world, certainly the signs that He did all brought glory to God – the greatest revelation of His glory was just days away when the Son of Man would be lifted up – the Cross and then the resurrection would leave no doubt. Jesus knows the plan, he is in control after all. He knows what is about to happen and what his death will accomplish. We see that in the confident prediction of the Son (31-33). John 12:31-33 says

“Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world shall be cast out. 32 "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." 33 But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die.”

The enemy is about to be dealt a death blow, but it would come in a most unexpected way. The prediction had been made in the garden that the coming one would crush the serpent’s head and that would come through the “lifting up of the Son.” What a double meaning that phrase had! It spoke to the physical lifting up of Jesus on the cross (so He spoke, indicating what kind of death He would die) – it was there that he would bear our sins in His own body. It also speaks to his exaltation, as His death carries out the glorious and gracious plan of the Father, while at the same time fulfilling the scriptures and so proving that Jesus was who He claimed to be. It certainly is a reminder that God can work through the difficult situations that we experience to reveal his presence, and to work for our good, and His glory. You remember Paul’s experience with a “thorn in the flesh.” Whatever it was is not explicitly stated, but he prayed three times for God to remove it. Yet God said that through Paul's weakness He would be glorified. The confusion of the crowd is answered with the invitation of the Son (34-36). John 12:34-36

34 The multitude therefore answered Him, "We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?"

By now we shouldn’t be surprised by the confusion on the part of the people. Repeatedly Jesus has spoken only the truth. He has told them what they needed to hear. But even the disciples, for the most part, didn’t understand until after the fact. “Who is this Son of Man?” What they are asking was, is this person the same as the Messiah that we are expecting? One is going to be “lifted up” and the other is supposed to “remain forever”? There is no way the same person can fulfill both destinies, or is there? I think it’s similar to the question John the Baptist had when he we was arrested: “Are you the One or do we wait for another?” John the Baptist certainly knew who Jesus was, but some Jews in the 1st century could reconcile the ideas of Messiah/King/Son with the picture of a Suffering Servant. How could both be true? One of the favorite metaphors we see in John is Light and Darkness—the primary application is spiritual. In the first chapter we read that John 1:4-5

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

A few chapters into the Gospel we read… John 3:19-21

19 "And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."

Then we saw that powerful “I AM” statement at the feast in John 8:12…

“Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Here we read, in 12:35ff, “Jesus therefore said to them,

"For a little while longer the light is among you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness may not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. 36 "While you have the light, believe in the light, in order that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and He departed and hid Himself from them.”

The lifting up of the Son, the revelation of the glory of God, was at hand.

What is God saying to me in this passage?

The Glory of God was revealed in the Cross of Christ. It is God’s glorious plan to save a remnant from every nation. By grace YOU have a part in that mission!

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

Our response to Him is submission and worship. We see that in the context from Mary at Jesus’ feet in Bethany, to the people hailing Him as he entered the city. ALL HAIL KING JESUS! ALL HAIL EMMANUEL. His love for us should evoke a response of love and worship. But He has us here, in this world, not just for worship, but also for mission. God has chosen to use us to bring the message of grace to the world—as far as we know we are His only plan! Are you willing to allow Him to use you?

Extravagant Worship: John 12:1-11

Extravagant Worship: Loving Jesus from a Pure Heart John 12:1-11

Introduction: Jesus is the subject of John’s Gospel. We know He is the divinding point of human history as is evidenced by the very fact that we count the years from the time of His birth (A.D. = “the year of our Lord”). He is also the great dividing point of the human race in terms of our response to Him. John 3:36 says it plainly: “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not obey the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him.” Jesus expressed the same truth in 8:24b, “…if you do not believe that I AM [he], you will die in your sins.” He uses that phrase “I AM” in that verse. It means not only believing that He is a prophet, or from God, or even the anointed descendent of David, but believing that He is God, God the Son, the Incarnate Word. And if we believe that we need to respond to Him. We need to worship Him. Is that why you are here today? Remember the story of the little boy who kneeled by his bed to pray on Sunday evening. He prayed, “Dear God, we had a good time in church today, but I wish you had been there!” Have you come here this morning to meet with the King of the universe, the great I AM, that God who willingly became a man and came to die so that you could live? There is a warning implicit in this passage as well. After all, Judas walked with Jesus for three and half years. He heard Him teach and saw him do miraculous signs. His body was there, he was physically present with the others, but in his heart and his mind he still didn’t recognize and respond to Emanuel, God Incarnate. Your body is here, has your head and your heart come along?

The Big Idea: We should worship Jesus with our whole heart; after all He is God, and He gave His all for us.

The Setting (12:1): We’ve reached a transitional point in the Gospel of John. The signs in the first 11 chapters revealed God’s Glory, incarnate in Jesus. Some responded with a growing recognition of who He is. Others continued in darkness and refused to believe. Here, back in Bethany, as Passover approached, reclined at the table with friends. The cross loomed before Him, but Jesus cared about His sheep, so there He was, fellowshipping with them, enjoying their presence.

I. A Dinner to Honor the King (2-3): Fellowship with Jesus is something we can experience (see Rev 3:20).

Revelation 3:20 is often used as we invite people to trust in Christ, but actually it is written to believers, to a church. The letter to the church at Laodicea is written to a church, albeit, a lukewarm one. His chastening in Rev 3:19 is designed to induce repentance. In Revelation 3:20 we see Jesus, standing, knocking, wanting to have a meal with us, a time of intimate fellowship. We recognize the theological truth about the omnipresence of God. Yet there is a sense in which God’s presence is experienced in a special way when we gather together in His name to worship Him. This was a meal to “honor” Jesus. We see three key characters responding well to Jesus. First there is Martha, who served Jesus from the heart. In a parallel scene in Matthew and Mark she is mildly rebuked for complaining about Mary who was at the feet of Jesus while she was doing all the work. It seems that here John is emphasizing that she is serving from the heart, as an act of worship. Serving the Master is a good thing, if it is an act of devotion toward Him, and our heart is right. Secondly, we see Lazarus reclined at the table with Him – living evidence of the power of the King. Lazarus had experienced the power of Jesus, and his life now was a powerful testimony that Jesus was no mere man. Here he was enjoying a meal with his Master. I think the Jews in the first century were a bit like Baptists today – food and fellowship went together. Fellowship, eating food, but also feeding on the Bread of Life. Remember John 6:35, “I AM the Bread of Life. He who comes to me shall never hunger—he who believes in me shall never thirst.” Lazarus is sharing a meal with Jesus, but there is no doubt he is also feasting spiritually as he experiences His presence in intimate fellowship. Finally, we see Mary, whose act of “Extravagant Worship” is really emphasized in the context. It’s clear that the action reflected Mary’s heart: N.B. that we can’t judge the actions of others since we don’t know their hearts! Her actions were frowned upon by some, most notably Judas. Wasn’t it wasteful? A jar of precious perfume – worth a year’s wages for a laborer, broken open and poured on Jesus – the account in Mark and Matthew indicates his head, as well as his feet. And then wiping his feet with her hair. Normally the lowest servant in a home would wash the feet of guests. This is no mere act of kindness and hospitality. It reveals complete humiliation, absolute surrender. The word “worship” connotes lying prostrate before the One who is the object of worship. This was not an act of kindness done for a friend. It can only be viewed as an act of worship. Clearly she recognized what the raising of her brother from the dead proved about Jesus. Only God could have the power of life and death. Did she understand what Jesus still must do? Some of what Jesus says might be a clue that Mary had an idea about where things were going. There was nothing wrong or immoral about Mary’s act, was it extravagant? Yes, but for Mary, Jesus deserved the very best, he deserved her all. Notice 3b,

“…the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the oil…”

Her act of extravagant worship filled the house with its fragrance, touching those around her with its aroma. Authentic worship will touch others around us. Its not about a show, or impressing others, or putting on a performance. Its about celebrating Jesus, recognizing who He is, rejoicing in what He has done. *** We should worship Jesus with our whole heart; after all He gave His all for us.

II. The Danger of Religious Hypocrisy (12:4-8)

. Judas’ pious rebuke was motivated by his own self-interest, not concern for the poor! Judas’ question in v.5 is almost the kind of thing you might see coming up at a church business meeting. It’s a reasonable question—instead of such an extravagant “waste” of resources, wouldn’t it have been better to sell this treasure and use the money to help the poor? Concern for the poor, loving our neighbors is something the Bible often talks about, and if we didn’t have John’s commentary on Judas’ motives, we might have thought, “well that’s a good question!” We don’t know hearts, but God does. Judas apparently completely fooled his colleagues and as far as they knew he was one of them. It may well be that he was even fooling himself. He was probably only skimming a little from the money box – not enough to be noticed – not enough to hurt anyone. He walked with Jesus, didn’t he? But his heart was corrupt, anything but pure. He wasn’t worried about the poor, but what a lost opportunity to miss out on handling that much cash! Jesus knew the heart of Judas as He knows the heart of all men, but his rebuke was focused on affirming Martha’s action, not uncovering Judas’ attitude. - “Let her alone…” It seems Jesus is saying: Don’t question her motives, don’t deny her the opportunity to give her best. “She has kept this for the day of my burial…” That hour approached. -He says “the poor you have with you always…” He is not denying the validity and importance of ministry to those in need. The Bible has much to say about that. He is rather affirmed the truth that ministry to poor is something that will continue throughout the church age – there is no denying or doubting that there will always be needs and always opportunity to show kindness and act mercifully in the name of Jesus. He is saying that the time of His departure was fast approaching . He wouldn’t be physically present with them much longer. - What Mary was doing was something appropriate only at this exact moment in human history. The March toward Jerusalem, toward Passover, toward the cross, was on. Jesus came to fulfill a mission and He was “in process” toward doing exactly that. “This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him” (I John 1:9). ***We should worship Jesus with our whole heart; after all He gave His all for us.

III. The Depths of Human Depravity (12:9-11).

There is a shift in scene from the intimate moment at dinner, to the response of the people and of the leaders. The people were curious, they wanted to see more. The opposite of worship may be rebellion, hatred as we see here. The leaders were fighting against God! Wed. nite we looked at Psalm 2 which pictures the futile resistance of humans to God. The disciples evoke that very Scripture in their prayer in Acts 4 after the cross and resurrection as they prayed… In Acts 4:24b-28 we read,

"…Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 "who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: 'Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.' 27 "For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 "to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.

They saw the resistance of the leadership prophesied in the words of the Psalm. It was observed by the NT scholar Leon Morris in his commentary on John…

It is interesting that “Caiaphas had said ‘…it is better for you that one man die…’ (11:50). But now, one was not enough to satisfy them. Now it had to be two. Thus does evil grow” (Morris, John, p. 517).

They started conspiring to kill the One. It expands now to include Lazarus. This guy was a problem. He was walking evidence – it was too much trouble tor try to explain him away. If they could only be rid of him too that would surely solve the Jesus problem, right? We know how the history of persecution against Christians mushrooms in the first centuries of the church. Jesus will warn, in John 15:18

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”

He said earlier in His ministry, “If anyone would be my disciple let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me…” Paul said “I urge you therefore brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as living sacrifices…” (Rom 12:1).

What is God saying to me in this passage?

We should worship Jesus with our whole heart; after all He gave His all for us.

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

Have you come here this morning out of habit, out of duty, or out of the expectation that together with your church family, we are in the presence of His Majesty: God- Father, Son, and Spirit? Worship Him. Amen.

The One who would die for His people

[Just a reminder that these entries are “fleshed out” from my sermon outline on Monday morning, but are not a direct transcript of the message, which would take a lot more time to prepare. In many cases it will be what I planned to say, or wish I had said, or should have said! , S.N.]

The One who would die for His people John 11:45-57

Introduction: What just happened must have stunned the crowd. Put yourself in their shoes. Mourning at the graveside, seeing Jesus, arriving there late, four days after the burial, then joining in the weeping, empathizing with his grieving friends, missing a beloved brother and friend. And then His strange, shocking, almost offensive request—remove the stone from the grave—an enigmatic prayer, thanking His Father for hearing Him, a confident call, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he did! After four days dead in the tomb, he was alive! Very little detail is given of the reactions of the people. Was there stunned silence? Did they cheer? Did they fall to their knees in worship, awed by this demonstration of power? It states it so simply, “many believed in Him.” This has to mean in this context that they recognized more fully who He was. Perhaps even that they finally realized, “This must be God, only God could do this!” Even so, a part of the story still was a mystery to them. That is, they needed to learn what He came to do.

The Big Idea: God overruled the greatest possible evil, the rejection and murder of his Son, to bring about the greatest imaginable good, the salvation of a people for Himself. We can be assured that He will accomplish His good purpose in the life of everyone who trusts in Him.

The Context: 11:45-47, it’s clear that no matter how convincing the evidence is, many continue to resist the truth. Some of the eyewitneses believe (in fact “many believe in Him). But not all! The contrast is intentional: many believe, but others go and report these things to the Pharisees. A meeting of the Sanhedrin is called to deal with the “Jesus Problem.”

I. First of all we see that there can be Wrong Priorities for Leadership: These leaders were intent on preserving the status quo no matter what the cost. Here they acknowledge the signs and ignore the implications (47-48).

Rather than recognizing Jesus and leading others to Him, they plan to destroy Him. John 11:47 says

“Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, ‘What shall we do? For this Man works many signs.’”

The question is reasonable—the signs were there, the blind man who had been healed—they investigated thoroughly and it could not be denied, now this, even more astounding—a dead man raised to life! NB. That they recognize these miracles as “signs.” They ask the right question, “What shall we do?”, but where they go with it makes it clear their hearts were completely closed to the truth. Rather than considering what this evidence means, what it reveals about who Jesus is, they are only concerned with what the fallout might be, what is might cost them: In John 11:48 we read,

48 "If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation."

The people will believe—and we have too much to lose! The pronoun here is emphatic and comes before the nouns: The romans will take away what is OURS, both [our] place and [our] nation… Their motives were so self centered, so focused on preserving their power and influence that they did not recognize their own messiah. Peter would later speak of Jesus saying He was “…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…” Still, they were focused on preserving the status quo, and decide “better Him than us!” By the way crucifying Jesus didn’t get rid of the problem… his tomb was empty three days later and before long his pesky disciples were praying that He had risen from the dead (see Acts 2,3,4,5 etc.). At least one of them, Gamaliel, offers some good council in Acts 5:35 ff…

Acts 5:35-42 35 And he said to them: "Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. 36 "For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. 37 "After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. 38 "And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; 39 "but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it -- lest you even be found to fight against God." 40 And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Good counsel at that time. But not here, not now. It seems the leaders don’t even consider that they might be fighting against God. Even so, God overruled the greatest possible evil, the rejection and murder of his Son, to bring about the greatest imaginable good, the salvation of a people for Himself. We can be assured that He will accomplish His good purpose in the life of everyone who trusts in Him.

II. The evil intentions of men and God’s overruling grace: Christ would indeed be our substitute (49-53).

Caiaphas, the High Priest, chimed in, making it clear that they should get rid of the Problem: it would be better for this one man to die instead of the whole nation (49-50). Caiaphas was focused on self preservation, and on maintaining his position of power and influence, and at least toleration by the Romans. Rather than allowing this “Jesus problem” to escalate, from his perspective it made sense that He be sacrificed, that He die, instead of the nation enduring the wrath of Rome, or the . A scapegoat. A substitute. We’ve seen several examples in this Gospel where Jesus said something, and the full meaning of what He said was missed by his hearers. “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up… You must be born again… Drink of the water I give and you’ll never thirst… Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will never hunger or thirst… But here Caiaphas speaks, and says more than he himself understood. Caiaphas was closer to truth than he realized. Jesus came to be the scapegoat. He came to be the sacrificial lamb. He came as our substitute. Consider the words of Isaiah written 700 years earlier:

Isaiah 53:3-8 “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken…”

This is a phenomenal illustration of the relationship between human will and divine sovereignty. Caiaphas from his perspective was saying, “Let’s get rid of this guy, better Him than us!” Yet God over-ruled, and his words conveyed a prophetic truth, God’s Son would not be spared, He would be delivered up for the nation, and a remnant from every nation. John fleshes out the fuller implications of the words of Caiaphas: John 11:51-52

“ Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.”

He would die for the benefit of the nation, and as a substitute for a remnant from every nation. The whole world is God’s world, and world evangelization is God’s work. We get much more ethnically diversified here in summer, and that is a good thing-it gives us more of a picture of what Heaven will be like! Jesus would give His life for his sheep, scattered around this planet in every nation, from every race, every people group. But, notice what John says: “…He will gather together in one the children of God…” The church is a unity, one body, one family. There are so many things that we can allow to divide us—because we are still influenced by our fallen nature… but love covers a multitude of sins and love is what sets us apart-we love because he first loved us-by our love for one another men will know that we are His disciples. After all, remember what God did for us. He overruled the greatest possible evil, the rejection and murder of his Son, to bring about the greatest imaginable good, the salvation of a people for Himself. We can be assured that He will accomplish His good purpose in the life of everyone who trusts in Him.

III. God’s plan will be carried out in God’s way at God’s time: The hour approaches for the lifting up of the Son (54-57).

In 11:54 we see that Jesus was cognizant of the evil intentions of the leaders and avoided them for a time. He “…no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.” John repeatedly emphasizes that Jesus knew what was in the heart of men. He certainly knew the plans of the leaders to kill him, but it wasn’t his time. Temporarily He withdrew, staying under their radar, out of their reach, until the time set by the Father. But V.55 reminds us that the time is approaching.

“And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, "What do you think -- that He will not come to the feast?" 57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him."

Passover was one of the pilgrim feast of Israel. It was a time that Jews would be expect to travel to the Holy City if at all possible, to celebrate and remember what God had done in bringing them out of Egyptian bondage. As a part of that feast, a lamb would be slain, a reminder of that first Passover, the blood spilt and put on the door post of every Hebrew home. Now the hour approached when Christ, our Passover, would be sacrificed for us.

What is God saying to me in this passage?

God overruled the greatest possible evil, the rejection and murder of his Son, to bring about the greatest imaginable good, the salvation of a people for Himself. We can be assured that He will accomplish His good purpose in the life of everyone who trusts in Him.

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

As we celebrate the Lord’s Table, we have a God ordained opportunity to deliberately pause and reflect on the Sacrifice of Christ. 2000 years ago Jesus was preparing his disciples for what was about to happen, sharing in a Passover meal, giving them a means of remembering and reflecting on what was about to happen… In the Lord’s table, as we participate in the Bread and the Cup, we look back and remember that God spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. That is truly amazing grace! Amen.

He is the Resurrection and the Life!

He is the Resurrection and the Life!

John 11:38-46

Introduction: The miracle in today’s Scripture, the raising of Lazarus, was the apex of the “signs” done by Jesus in the first half of John, only to be eclipsed by Jesus’ own death and resurrection. There was no room for doubt. Only God could do this! This sign would be compelling, uncontestable evidence of the presence and power of God in Christ. It would also reveal historically the truth that Jesus spoke of in the parable of the Rich Man and (another!) Lazarus, Luke 16:19-31,,,

" There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 "But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 "desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 "And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' 25 "But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' 27 "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, 28 'for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' 29 "Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' 30 "And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 "But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.' "

We see that very truth lived our here in this passage in John. The evidence in incontrovertible – a man rose from the dead – still the leaders refuse to consider the implications of the sign. The Big Idea: Jesus is working in our lives for our good, seeking to help us see more of His glory. The Context: The Perplexity extends to the onlookers in 11:37. It’s clear that Jesus loved Lazarus, He wept at his graveside! Could not this miracle worker have intervened for his friend? They were perplexed, it didn’t make sense. And the request Jesus was about to make didn’t make sense to Martha.

I. But Jesus wants us to trust Him even when life doesn’t make sense (11:38-39).

“Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days." Martha seems to want to “inform” Jesus of the reality of the situation, almost as though he didn’t have all the facts! Martha has just made a tremendous declaration of faith “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” She seemed to say she believed anything was possible, perhaps even hinting, though hesitant to ask, that Jesus could raise Lazarus when she says in v.22 “But even now I know whatever you ask of God, God will give you…” And yet, as Jesus gives instruction to roll back the stone she feels compelled to explain the situation to Him. Proverbs 3:5,6 was one of the first passages of Scripture I memorized as a new Christian (I almost said “learned,” but in reality I still learning to live it out!). “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on you own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” Martha said she believed Jesus, yet now as He told her to do something that was impossible, she hesitated, doubted, was unsure if Jesus had taken into account all the variables—after all it was four days! Martha said, “I believe!” But when Jesus said “Roll back the stone,” she hesitated. Did Jesus understand what He was asking? Did he take into account the reality of the situation? I have a cross stitch frame in my office that Mary Ann made for me, that is a reflection on the benediction in Ephesians 3:20,21, where it says,

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

The cross stitch references those verses and says, “If you knew that you couldn’t fail, what would you do for the glory of God?” If it is done for His glory we can’t fail, not in terms of eternity. First of all, God can do anything. The messenger told Sarah that truth when she laughed at the idea of having a child in her old age… The angel spoke to Mary who didn’t understand how she, an unmarried virgin, could give birth to the Messiah. And Jesus will reveal that truth to Martha and Mary and all those who will witness the raising of Lazarus. It’s easy to trust Jesus when things develop according to our plans and expectations. But what about when life seems to lead us on an unexpected course? Are you going through a season where things are happening that don’t make sense, are you willing to trust Him? Is He leading you to do something that seems beyond your capacity? Will you trust Him with all your heart, and lean not on your own understands? *** Jesus is working in our lives for our good, seeking to help us see more of His glory.

II. Jesus wants us to believe Him so we can perceive the glory of God (11:40).

In John 11:40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" As he wrote this gospel, some decades after the events described, John, by then an old man, could look back and say “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14). For [Jesus] the “glory of God” was the most important thing. This means that the real meaning of who He was and what He would do would be accessible only by faith. All who were there, believers or not, would see the miracle, but seeing is not necessarily believing. Jesus is promising Martha a sight of the glory. The crowd would see the miracle, but only believers would perceive its real significance, the glory. What a privilege! Moses had asked to see God’s glory (Ex 33) but would only be allowed a “glance” of it as God put him in the cleft of a rock and put his hand over him as He passed by. As great as he was Moses wasn’t allowed to see the glory of God. Jesus’ disciples on the other hand got to see His glory in the signs. It all started in Cana, in Galilee, at a Wedding when the wine ran out too soon. Jesus turned water into wine, John 2:11 “…This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.” They didn’t understand a lot at that point, but the Light was shining in the darkness, and they were beginning to see the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in face of Christ Jesus… (2 Cor 4:6b). ***Jesus is working in our lives for our good, seeking to help us see more of His glory.

III. Jesus wants us to pray to the Father in Faith, knowing that He hears and answers in the way that is best for us.

Prayer is an indispensable resource as we navigate life in a fallen world (11:41-42).

“Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 "And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me."

It is interesting to note that we frequently see Jesus praying in the Bible. In John 17 we are going to see a fairly extensive prayer of Jesus as he anticipates his departure and prays for his disciples and for “those who would believe through their testimony” (that’s us, and every other New Testament believer!). If Jesus, God the Son, felt prayer was important, how much more should we be devoted to prayer. A couple of observations: Jesus prayed to God his “Father” – Obviously John is making it very clear that Jesus has a unique relationship with the Father. That can encourage us since there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. He prays for us, and you can know beyond question that the Father always hears and answers Him. Yet it is also true that “As many as received Him to them gave he the right (power) to become children of God…” We can go to Him, praying to Abba, Father, knowing that He knows us intimately, and He loves us, and is longing to hear from us. The prayer here is a prayer of thanksgiving, expressing full assurance that God has heard and answered his prayer, just as surely as He always did. As we pray according to the will of God we can have that same assurance. He hears. He will answer. Mary understood that the Father heard Jesus prayers. Remember John 11:22

"But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."

But what about us? In the upper room Jesus will teach his disciples much about prayer. For example:

John 14:13-14 13 "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

John 15:7-8 7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

John 16:23-24 23 "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

***As we learn to pray and seek God in prayer we learn that…

IV. Jesus wants us to experience His glorious power which promises victory over sin and death (11:43-44).

“Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."

It’s a pattern that is established soon after the fall, “…and then he died…” The Bible itself says “It is appointed unto man once to die, after this the judgment…” The good news is that whereas “In Adam all die” so also “in Christ all shall be made alive…” It’s in Jesus that we can have eternal life, the abundant, everlasting life of blessing He purchased for us. Martha and Mary understood that, but here Jesus does a miracle, a sign, raising Lazarus to life, because it served his purpose—He was graciously revealing something about himself, who he is, showing his power, his divine nature. A preliminary “glimpse” of the promise of life in Him. He did it because He loved them, for their good, and for ours… By the way, the same power that called Lazarus from the tomb is at work in you if you have trusted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. You were dead in your trespasses and sin. He made you alive, by grace, through faith, unto good works which God ordained beforehand (Eph 2:1-10). *** Jesus is working in our lives for our good, seeking to help us see more of His glory.

V. Signs, Faith, and Unbelief (11:45-46).

Here we read about the response to this sign: “Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did.” Though the evidence is clear most people refuse to believe. This was the mountain top, the apex of the “signs” that Jesus did which were recorded in the first part of John’s Gospel. It would only be transcended by the death and resurrection of Jesus himself. And yes, many saw and believed. Some however, went away to the Pharisees and told them the things that Jesus did. There is an intentional contrast here, they weren’t trying to share the good news with the Pharisees. They were “reporting” the story, knowing they were watching Jesus. This is an example of what we read in John 3:18-19

18 "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

What is God saying to me in this passage? Jesus is working in our lives for our good, seeking to help us see more of His glory. As you read this story, do you see the glory of God?

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

Jesus proved that He is the resurrection and the life. The Light has shined in the darkness. Have you seen the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus? As surely as He raised Lazarus to life, He has done the same for you—you were dead, in Him you have life! Consider His work, see His glory, walk with Him in new life! Amen.

Comfort from the King

Comfort from the King John 11:17-37

Introduction: The insanity this week in Colorado reminds dramatically reminds us that we live in a sinful world. The movie that premiered that night was called “The Dark Knight” and it reminds us that another “dark knight” is on the prowl, always looking for someone to devour. Last week’s text reminded us in John 11:10 "…if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." The movie was called “The Dark Knight” and the incident is a reminder that this world is a dark place… A quick look at our prayer list makes it clear that we are surrounded by hurting people. Some are grieving, others struggling with sickness, financial hardships, family matters. And our church is not unique. After all Jesus did say “In the world you might have an occasional tough day…” right? No, He said “In the world you will have tribulation…” That is a certainty, but just as sure is the promise that the day is coming when He will “…wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying…” That day is still future, but even now He is with us when we pass through the hard times, we are never alone, He promises those who trust Him that He will never leave us or forsake us. And the future hope He gives strengthens us today. Today we return to Bethany, a small town just outside of Jerusalem. Jesus is coming to his friends, people who he loved who went through the heartbreak of seeing a loved one fall sick and die. That had sent for him, they knew he was their only hope, but he was late. Or was He? The Big Idea: When crises come remember who Jesus is, and be encouraged that He understands. Hope in Him.

I. When crises come, remember who Jesus is: He is God, the source of resurrection life (17-27).

Notice first of all the timing and circumstance of Jesus’ arrival (17-19).

“So when Jesus came He found that he had already been in the tomb four days…”

This gives us a hint as to why Jesus had delayed. There could be no doubt that Lazarus was dead. There was no hope of him being “resuscitated” from a coma. There are other stories in the Bible of someone who died being raised to life, but the buried their dead quickly, usually that very day. This is the only example of someone dead and buried for four days being raised to life. Remember John chose carefully and intentionally the seven miracle stories in this Gospel. They were signs, testimony that clearly related something about who Jesus is. Notice in verse 18 is a little detail that adds a slightly ominous note to the story: Bethany was just outside of Jerusalem. The city of peace was anything but peaceful toward Jesus. It’s the place where Jesus’ opponents had sought to stone Him. Jesus arrived in Bethany and the scene was typical of a mourning Jewish family. If the people could afford it, besides the friends and family that would be gather around the grieving family, the family would hire some professional mourners, sometimes playing instruments, sometimes just to cry loudly when people approached, signaling that yes, this was a house in mourning. 11:21-24 Shows faith and hope on Martha’s part. First she has seen enough to know that had Jesus been present Lazarus would not have died. She had seen him heal others and there was no question in her mind that He would have healed her brother had he been there. But verse 22 is remarkable, it goes much further, it seems to be acknowledging Jesus’ lordship, even over death:

“…but even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you…”

(As a side note we should remember the miracle in 4:45-54, Jesus healed the nobleman’s son from a distance, He didn’t have to be there!) Jesus, the Rabbi, the master teacher, is drawing her out, allowing her to express her faith, leading her into deeper faith, v.23, “Your brother will rise again…” Hope! Promise! A statement of fact about the future: “He will rise again…” By the way that is our hope, everyone of us who know Jesus as Savior and Lord. Paul said, speaking of the connection between the resurrection of Jesus and the future resurrection of believers, in 1 Corinthians 15:23

“…Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming...”

Martha reflects that hope in v.24, “I know that he will rise again the resurrection of the last day.” Having expressed that faith, Jesus begins to set the stage for what He is about to do. First Jesus makes a powerful statement about who He is:

“I AM the resurrection and the life” (25).

Here, for the 16th time in this gospel, Jesus uses the phrase “I AM…” to say something about himself. I hope by now there is no question in your mind that that phrase, on the lips of Jesus, is an intentional allusion back to the Old Testament revelation of God, the great I AM who spoke to Moses and the prophets. It’s a claim to deity. This is one statement that almost certainly had to be understood that way, even by Martha: “I AM the resurrection and the life.” Who is the source and the power behind the future resurrection than God himself? Only God is the author and sustainer of life. --This teaching of Jesus ties strongly into the central message that John is emphasizing in the Gospel: A call to believe who Jesus is, God in the flesh, and a promise that if you do you’ll live forever (see John 20:30,31). He goes on to say here, in John 11:25-26, “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 "And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" Obviously Jesus knew what she believed, but He is teaching her, growing her faith even as He is leading her to express it. Clearly He is not saying that believing in Him is a guarantee that we will never experience physical death. Lazarus did. Eventually everyone of the disciples of Jesus died, most of them as martyrs. --Martha’s Confession here is remarkable, and in this context it seems to go beyond anything we’ve heard earlier in the gospel:

“Yes Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world…”

Martha’s affirmation of faith in Jesus stands with the other great confessions of His identity in this gospel (1:49; 6:69). It anticipates John’s purpose statement for writing his gospel:

“These have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” (20:31).

Martha spoke emphatically (the Greek text adds the personal pronoun in addition to the verb, “I myself have believed…” It’s as though Martha pointed her finger back at herself for emphasis, I believe!) and declared three vital truths about Jesus: 1) Like Andrew (1:41), she confessed that He was the Christ, or Messiah; 2) like John the Baptist (1:34), Nathanael (1:49), and the disciples (Matt. 14:33) she affirmed that He was the Son of God; 3) and finally, like the Old Testament had predicted (cf. Is. 9:6; Mic. 5:2), she referred to Him as He who comes into the world… The One that all of the Scriptures had anticipated and all of creation needed was here. *** When crises come remember who Jesus is, and be encouraged that He understands. Hope in Him.

II. When crises come, be assured that Jesus understands & empathizes: Jesus was filled with anger and compassion (28-37).

Martha goes to get Mary, saying “the Teacher” had come and is calling for her. She meets Jesus, falls at his feet in tears (11:32,33).

First of all, Jesus was angry:

Of the English language translations I was able to check, only the New Living Translation seems to get this right: “When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled.” John 11:33, NLT. Was it anger at the scene in general, the professional mourners, intermingled with the heart broken family and friends, or was it anger at death itself and the consequences of sin that this scene exemplified? Mark uses the same word in Mark 14:5 to describe the anger of the disciples as they scolded Mary for the extravagant waste of resources when she anoints the feet of Jesus… It also says in 11:33 that Jesus was “deeply troubled.” This is the word that describes an unsettling, disturbing feeling, in the pit of your stomach, when something is terribly wrong. Its what Herod felt, and all Jerusalem with him, when word came to him of Magi searching for a new-born king. Here is the King of all creation, confronting what is wrong in our world, sin and death, and it angers Him, it troubles Him.

Secondly, Jesus was grieved: “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35).

There is always speculation about why Jesus cried. Was it because the soul of Lazarus was in Heaven and he would now have to return to his body in this sin cursed world? Maybe. But remember the setting. He is near Jerusalem. The Passover is approaching. And the cross. And I believe this scene, the death of his friend, the weeping of his family, reminded Jesus of what must soon happen. He was already for a moment in Gethsemane, feeling the weight of our sin. As He empathized with Martha and Mary in their pain, He felt for a second the alienation that existed between Holy God and sinful humans, created in His image, created for fellowship and communion with Him, but with that image marred by sin. John reminds us that Jesus is in control, but He came to lay down his life for his sheep. He came to be the perfect sacrifice, and His hour was approaching.

What is God saying to me in this passage?

When crises come remember who Jesus is, and be encouraged that He understands. Hope in Him. After all, He loved you enough to die for you.

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

Have you put your trust in Him? Al’s message last Sunday night reminded us that we should not presume on the future – we don’t know what a day may bring, this is the day of salvation. Do you sense a stirring in your heart? Jesus said come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest…” Trust Him, He is Lord! “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” That’s a promise from God. Believer in Jesus, you may be passing through a time of pain, even heartbreak. Look to the King of all Creation. He is with you. It doesn’t depend on a feeling. It doesn’t matter if you sense He is there. His promise is sure: “I will never leave you or forsake you.” He knows your pain, and He promises that the day will come that the psalmist anticipated: Psalm 30:10-12

"Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me; LORD, be my helper!" 11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.”

Amen.

Sickness, Trials, and the Glory of God

Sickness, Trials, and the Glory of God John 11:1-16

Introduction: We’ll spend at least a couple of weeks in Bethany with Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. Jesus’ public teaching ministry concluded with the Good Shepherd discourse in chapter 10. The episode today will set the stage for the seventh miracle story in John’s Gospel. Remember that John prefers to describe the miracles Jesus did as “signs” since they point us to Jesus, and reveal something about his identity. John 20:30-31 refers back to the miracles stories we’ve been looking at for the last several months and reminds us why John included them in his Gospel: “Many other signs Jesus did in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book. These have been written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ [the Messiah], the Son of God, and that believing you might have life in His Name.” He wants us to learn from the miracles of Jesus more about who He is, he invites us to put our trust in Him alone and to so receive the life He is offering us. This is the seventh, and perhaps the most amazing of the miracles that John records. After this it’s the cross and resurrection. Here we see people that Jesus loved passing through sickness, pain, death, grief. And Jesus turns it into something amazing. Weeping may last for a night—but joy comes in the morning! Jesus says in John 16:2.

“…you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned to joy…”!

People go through hard things in life. I spend more time counseling people than I had anticipated. Here’s a newsflash for you: Life can be hard. Sometimes it can be really hard. The believer in Jesus recognizes God’s presence even in the hard times in life. The famous pioneer missionary to China, Hudson Taylor, said “Trials afford God a platform for his working in our lives. Without them I would never know how kind, how powerful, how gracious he is.”

The Big Idea: God can work through the crises of our lives to point people to Jesus and to bring glory to Himself.

I. People that God loves get sick too (11:1-3). That statement might be so self evident as to be ridiculous, but there are branches of the professing church that would seem to say that if our faith is strong enough, we can claim good health (and prosperity). Turn on the TV and you won’t have to look hard to find a preacher telling you that God wants you healthy and wealthy (that is, if you’ll show your faith by sending him some money!). As John 11 opens, three people are mentioned, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. These three were known to Jesus, and v.5 says it plainly, Jesus loved them. And yet they passed through this heartbreaking situation of seeing one of their family fall gravely sick, worsen, and die. We’ve asked the question already in our study of John’s Gospel, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Why is it that there is so much pain in the world? Paul gave the answer in Romans 5:12,

“…by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all have sinned.”

Human rebellion brought sin, the curse, suffering and death into the world. God, in Christ, brought the solution. 11:2 is interesting here since John seems to be assuming that his readers already knew about Mary anointing the feet of Jesus, and wiping them with her hair (its mentioned in Matt 26:7, and will be mentioned in John 12:3). It’s another example (like Jesus’ baptism and his birth in Bethlehem) in which John seems to presuppose that his readers have knowledge of the synoptic tradition. Mary’s action here shows love that is extravagant (the perfume was expensive, precious), and also humble (wiping his feet with her hair!). Lazarus fell ill and the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick…” Jesus would know who they were referring to, their brother, His friend. The point here is that this family knew Jesus, and they were known by him, but they weren’t exempt from the suffering that comes to us in this sin cursed world. They looked in the right direction, to Jesus, the Master, Emmanuel. He could help. Yet still, Lazarus died. Later in this Gospel Jesus will warn, “In the world you will have tribulation…” One writer called this life a “veil of tears,” and if you’ve lived for very long you know that is true. If you pass through a trial don’t listen to the lies of the enemy. No matter what, God is good, He loves you, He is present, and He has a plan. Trust Him, lean on Him. *** God can work through the crises of our lives to point people to Jesus and to bring glory to Himself.

II. Even in the hard times God is still good, and He will work for our good and for His glory (11:4-5).

Jesus says, “This sickness is not unto death…” He is obviously not saying that Lazarus wasn’t going to die (though that appears to be what his disciples initially understood). He was saying that death wouldn’t have the last word, that wouldn’t be the end of the story, there was a bigger picture here and it would ultimately bring glory to God. I’ve heard it said a hundred times when someone experienced healing, “God is good!” And He is! But even when the answer isn’t what we hoped for, God is still good. The question has been debated in the church, “Is there healing in the atonement?” He heals in many different ways, ultimately we will receive a new body – this corruptible must put on incorruption, this mortal, immortality. That is a promise for those who know Christ. The situation here is reminiscent of what Jesus said of the man born blind in response to the question of his disciples: John 9:2-3

"Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”

***Joni Erickson Tada once said, “I don’t care if I am confined to this wheelchair, provided that from it I can bring glory to God.” Are we willing to acknowledge God’s presence, to seek His plan, and to give Him our pain to use as He would? Even in the painful situations of life God will work for our good and for His glory. We saw this theology reflected in the story of Joseph Wednesday night as we looked at Genesis 50. Jacob had died, and the brothers of Joseph who acted so wickedly against him feared that now Joseph would take revenge. Amazingly, he said:

"Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. 21 "Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them” (Gen 50:19-21).

We have a High Priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses, He was tested in all points like as we are, according to Isaiah he was a “Man of sorrows, acquainted with grief…” Because that is true we can be assured that: God can work through the crises of our lives to point people to Jesus & to bring glory to Himself.

III. God’s timing is always right (11:6-10).

Its always right in terms of what’s best for us. 11:6 says, “Therefore when he heard…” The NIV obscures the point here by saying “Yet, when he heard…” There is a causal relationship between these two verses. Do you see what this is saying? It’s referring back to the previous verse. (Maxim of Bible study, “When you see a “therefore” you ask what it’s there for.”) Because He loved them, Jesus delayed. What? How could that be? How could that have been the loving thing to do? Jesus had a plan, he would allow this pain in the lives of his friends, so that in it and through it he could reveal His glory. His timing is always right in terms of the “big picture.” The idea seems to be similar to what Jesus said right before he healed the blind man, in John 9:4-5… 4 "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Here he says “there are 12 hours in the day…” The light is shining – Jesus, the Light of the World, is still with them, from His perspective, there was still work to do. And after all, they could do nothing to Him until the hour appointed by the Father, when Jesus would “deliver himself up.” From their perspective, they should understand that a dark hour was coming, but even in that moment, God would be working to accomplish His good purpose. *** God can work through the crises of our lives to point people to Jesus and to bring glory to Himself.

IV. Because He was willing to die for us, Death is not the end of the story for those who know Jesus (11:11-16).

First Jesus speaks figuratively, “Lazarus sleeps.” Once again the disciples misunderstand, so he says it plainly, “he’s dead.” Death, for the believer, is described as “sleep.” That says a lot. Sleep is a good and necessary thing for humans (though some babies have not yet learned that truth) – sleep is restful, peaceful, rejuvenating. And Jesus uses it as a picture of the death of a believer. It emphasizes the truth that death is a transition, but its not the end of the story. Verse 8 tells us that the disciples warned that the Jews in Judea were ready to stone Jesus a short time ago. But it was not yet “his hour.” While it was day, there was work to do. So they resolve, “Let us go with him that we may die with Him…” Jesus did tell his disciples early on to be ready for that possible eventuality. He said in Mk 8:34,

“If anyone would be my disciple, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me…”

*Some of the great pioneer missionaries of the past took that attitude to heart. When James Calvert was traveling to the indigenous people in the Fiji islands the captain of the ship he traveled on warned him, “You and those with you will lose your lives if you go among such savages!” He replied, “We died before we came here.” Life can be hard. Trials will come. Paul said, “To live is Christ, to die is gain.” God has left us here, for a little while, and given us a mission.

What is God saying to me in this passage?

And so we see that God can work through the crises of our lives to point people to Jesus and to bring glory to Himself.

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

Are you passing through a period of darkness and trial? Do you believe that God is with you, and that He is working? Are you willing to listen for the still, small, voice of the Father? Jesus said, Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest…” That doesn’t mean we won’t face trials, even suffering. But be sure of this: “The suffering of this present age is not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us.” Think about that. Amen.

The Good Shepherd Part 2: The Shepherd and His Sheep

The Shepherd and His Sheep John 10:22-42

Introduction: The Camden Maine Herald ran two photos on the same page: one of Camden’s board of selectmen and town manager, the other of a flock of sheep. “Unintentionally,” the captions were reversed. Under the picture of the sheep the caption identified them, left to right, as town officials; the caption under the photo of the politicians gathered around a table read, “The sheep-fold—naïve and vulnerable, they huddle for security against the uncertainties of the outside world.” I think the editor had some explaining to do! We may not like the idea of being compared to sheep, but its an illustration that the people of Jesus’ day could relate to. God revealed himself with illustrations from everyday life that people could understand. One of those pictures was God as a shepherd, leading, feeding, protecting, caring for His sheep. Psalm 80 begins,

“Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth! 2 Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, Stir up Your strength, And come and save us! 3 Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!”

As we began John 10, we saw Jesus, in another “I AM” statement, call Himself the “Good Shepherd.” That in itself, in the context of first century Judaism, was a claim to deity. Yet, the idea of a suffering Messiah, especially One who would die, had largely been lost—and they couldn’t grasp the idea of a Good Shepherd who would “lay down his life” for His sheep, much less what he meant by “If I lay it down, I will take it up again…” We have the bigger picture from our perspective after the cross and resurrection.

The Big Idea: Jesus revealed himself to be the Good Shepherd and as surely as His sheep respond to His voice, so He will keep them safe for eternity.

I. The Confrontation in 10:22-24 gives the setting of this teaching of Jesus, and also some important clues to understand what He is saying. Notice that there is a time gap between the 21 and 22. It was two months after v.21 and the feast of tabernacles. Again we are in Jerusalem, now for the feast of dedication. It was not one of the feasts prescribed in the Old Testament, but originated during the intertestamental period. The feast commemorated the Israelites’ victory over the Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanies (175–164 B.C.). Consider that context in the light of what happens here. The setting gives us a couple of hints as to why the Jews failed to recognize their own Messiah: First of all the question “Who is the messiah? What kind of deliverer would He be?” The Maccabbean revolt was a military conflict with their foreign oppressors. Many Jews of Jesus’ day were looking for a deliverer like Judas Maccabee, like King David, like Solomon, who could give them victory over their enemies and reestablish the kingdom. Then, almost as a side note, it says, “It was winter…” But John doesn’t just give us information as a colorful or incidental detail usually. Every word is purposeful (E.g. Nicodemus came to Jesus, the Light of the World, “at night”, i.e., still in the dark spiritually speaking). Is it just a mention of fact here, or could it be that Israel was passing through a period of coldness in terms of their faith? They had lost sight of the spiritual and were focused exclusively on the physical. Before we are too hard on the Jews, don’t we often fall into the same snare? We love the things in this world—we forget that we are citizens of Heaven. The mention of Solomon, the last king of the United Kingdom, and the Temple, alludes to some of what John has been teaching us about who Jesus, the Messiah, is. He is not merely one more in the succession of the sons of David, a merely human king who would oversee an earthly kingdom. As great as Solomon was, and as extensive as the range of the Kingdom became under his rule, he ultimately fell short, his heart drifting through the influence of his many wives and concubines. The Ideal Son of David (Messiah Jesus) was yet to come. Also, as John has alluded to the Tabernacle and the Temple, Jesus is the fulfillment of that hope: “The Word became flesh and dwelt (“tabernacled”) among us…” He said in John 2, “Tear down this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up…” But he wasn’t talking about a building made of stones and timber, but of his own body. We beheld his glory… God among us. Against all of this background the challenge comes: “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly!” Part of what John is showing us is that Jesus had clearly revealed who He is, He had said it plainly enough for those who had ears to hear, but the popular expectation is far from the truth could not understand and would not believe. Rather than what they expected, Jesus revealed himself to be the Good Shepherd and as surely as His sheep respond to His voice, so He will keep them safe for eternity.

II. The Characteristics of the Shepherd’s Sheep (10:25-29).

They recognize the Shepherd and obey His voice. Jesus said, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me.” The challenge was, “Tell us plainly…” Jesus’ reply, “I not only told you, I showed you, and still you don’t believe! And then He tells them why, “You don’t believe because you are not my sheep…” Their unbelief and rejection of Jesus revealed their hearts. Jesus then speaks of the experience of those who are His sheep: They are known by the Shepherd and He gives them eternal life. That is one things Jesus emphasizes here, the eternal security of those who are his: - He gives eternal, everlasting life. This does speak of duration of the life they receive, but it is also a new quality of life. Paul said to the Corinthians, “If any man be in Christ—a new Creation!” I think the emphasis there is not on the change in the person’s life, that is surely true, but the fact that He is participating in a new age, a new reality, “times of refreshing that come from the presence of the LORD.” - They shall never perish—that is a promise. And if the positive statement about life isn’t enough, this should make it clear that there is no contingency, no possibility that a genuinely born-again person could somehow lose their salvation. - No one can snatch them from His hand. The enemy would try—but the One who keeps us is God! After all, the Father, is one with Jesus, forever “securing” His sheep. The Father elects, the Son redeems, the Spirit regenerates. This makes it clear that if someone is truly saved, elect of God, He cannot possibly lose his salvation. Paul reflects this in Romans 8:32-39…

"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 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."

That is a promise! After all Jesus revealed himself to be the Good Shepherd, God incarnate, and as surely as His sheep respond to His voice, so He will keep them safe for eternity.

III. The nature of the Shepherd (10:30).

“I and the Father are One.” John has stated before the unity between the Father and the Son—in this context it is the basis for the security of the believer. This unity has been affirmed various times from the start of this Gospel: John 1:1, “…The Word was with God; the Word was God.” We saw just a few chapters back, in John 8:18-19

"I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me." 19 Then they said to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also."

We will see in a few chapters John 14:9,

Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

Jesus is God the Son, One with the Father and the Spirit. He revealed himself to be the Good Shepherd and as surely as His sheep respond to His voice, so He will keep them safe for eternity.

IV. What it really means to be Son of God (10:31-42)

. This is one of the most disputed passages in John, as Jesus quotes from Ps 82:6 to show the hypocrisy of his accusers. Jesus is essentially saying, “Do you judge me for my use of the title “Son of God” even though my works have proven my identity? In your unbelief you have judged yourselves!” Psalm 82 seems to be a poem in which God is indicting human rulers, to whom he had entrusted authority, for failing to show mercy and act justly and lead responsibly. These leaders were called “gods” and “sons of God” in that they represented His rule, but they failed to represent well the Kingdom of God, they fell short. In the context in John, it seems that Jesus is saying that the word “god” can refer to others than God the Father alone, on that basis, why should they object if Jesus says He is the Son of God when He has only spoken God’s truth and the when signs He did vindicated His claim? What do they understand by that title? Part of what John is doing in his Gospel is correcting an inadequate understanding of who the Messiah is that was prevalent in the first century. He is not merely “a” son of God, in the sense that the Davidic kings could claim that title. He was not merely God’s son in the way that a follower of the God of the Bible could use the phrase. He was by his very nature, God the Son, One with the Father and the Spirit, sharing in his essence, character, and attributes. Remember that John has shown us that Jesus is the great “I AM” of the Old Testament, the God who revealed himself to the fathers in Word and power. Is it so strange for Him, the incarnate Word, sent by the Father, to call himself the Son of God? He has right to that title as no other every had!

What is God saying to me in this passage?

Jesus revealed himself to be the Good Shepherd and as surely as His sheep respond to His voice, so He will keep them safe for eternity.

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

Have you struggled with the question of your salvation? Have you wondered if you had somehow done something that caused you to lose your place in the sheepfold, that somehow you disqualified yourself to follow the Good Shepherd, Jesus? If you have been truly born again through faith in Jesus, you are His… safe… forever. Think about that. Amen.