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John 12:20-29 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Well, amen and good morning.
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Please join me in John's Gospel, chapter 12.
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Thank you.
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Very good to be back with you this morning.
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Thank you for all of the kind words and well wishes.
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I'm glad to be here because it means I'm not laying in bed, not feeling well, but also
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because I just genuinely miss you when I can't be with you on the Lord's day.
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I'm so happy to be back.
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Our text for today is John, chapter 12, verses 20 through 29.
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As we've been working our way through John's Gospel, particularly over these last several weeks,
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we've been observing something that I think is essential to a proper understanding of Jesus Christ
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and the nature of the salvation he came to accomplish.
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It is possible to recognize certain truths about Jesus while fundamentally misunderstanding the significance of those truths.
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Indeed, it is possible to possess a reasonably accurate understanding of his identity,
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acknowledge his miraculous power, and even celebrate his arrival as the promised Messiah
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while remaining deeply confused about the purpose for which he came.
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And this is precisely the situation that confronted us in our previous passage two weeks ago.
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When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowds welcomed him with palm branches and cries of praise.
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They identified him as the king of Israel, the one who came in the name of the Lord,
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and in doing so, they employed language drawn directly from the scripture.
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Their identification of Jesus as king was correct.
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Their expectation that God would fulfill his covenant promises through this king was also correct.
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But as we observe, their understanding of the manner in which Jesus would establish his kingdom was deeply deficient.
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They anticipated a Messiah whose triumph would be manifested through the defeat of their political enemies
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and the restoration of Israel's national prominence.
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They were looking for the kind of victory that would be immediately recognizable
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according to the ordinary expectations of human power.
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And yet, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey.
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In fulfillment of Zacharias' prophecy concerning the humble king who would bring salvation and peace.
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But the crowds did not understand,
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and what even the disciples would not fully comprehend until after Jesus had been glorified,
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was that the promised king would secure his victory by suffering and dying.
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The king would conquer through apparent defeat.
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The one who possesses authority over death would voluntarily submit himself to death.
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And the glory of the Son of God would be revealed,
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not merely in his miraculous works,
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or in the public enthusiasm surrounding his arrival,
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but supremely in the humiliation and suffering of the cross.
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So, that brings us to our passage this morning,
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where John records a remarkable development in the events surrounding Jesus' final Passover.
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Some Gentiles, the text specifically calls them Greeks,
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arrive in Jerusalem and express a desire to see Jesus.
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That might initially strike us as a rather insignificant detail.
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Perhaps you've read right past this before,
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especially when compared with the extraordinary events that have already taken place.
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After all, Jesus has attracted considerable attention throughout his ministry,
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and the presence of a few more interested individuals might seem hardly worthy of mention.
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But John's gospel is not simply a chronological account
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of everything that happened during the earthly ministry of Christ.
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John is carefully selecting and arranging historical events
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to communicate particular theological truths about the person and work of Jesus.
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And the arrival of these Gentiles becomes the occasion
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for one of the most significant declarations Jesus makes concerning his approaching death.
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Throughout John's gospel,
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Jesus has repeatedly explained that his hour had not yet come.
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We'll look at that more in a bit.
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But here, in verse 23,
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Jesus announces that the hour has finally arrived.
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And what follows is an explanation of the astonishing relationship
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between his death, his glory,
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the salvation of the nations,
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and the lives of those who would follow him.
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So without further ado,
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let's pray and then we'll begin reading in verse 20.
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Father God,
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we ask that you would help us today as we take up your word together.
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We want to rightly understand it and apply it in our lives,
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and we humbly recognize that it's impossible to do this without your help.
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We know that this text was written for your glory and for our good,
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and so we ask that you would help us believe its promises,
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obey its commands,
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and have affection for you, its author.
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And we pray all of this in the name of Christ.
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Amen.
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John chapter 12, beginning in verse 20.
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Now, among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
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So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,
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and asked him,
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Sir, we wish to see Jesus.
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Philip went and told Andrew.
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Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
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And Jesus answered them,
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The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
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Truly, truly, I say to you,
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unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,
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it remains alone.
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But if it dies,
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it bears much fruit.
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Whoever loves his life loses it,
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and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
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If anyone serves me,
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he must follow me,
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and where I am,
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there will my servant be also.
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If anyone serves me,
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the Father will honor him.
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Now is my soul troubled,
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and what shall I say?
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Father, save me from this hour?
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But for this purpose,
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I have come to this hour.
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Father, glorify your name.
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Then a voice came from heaven,
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I have glorified it,
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and I will glorify it again.
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The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered.
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Others said,
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An angel has spoken to him.
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Now I will enumerate them for you now,
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but we'll look at this text in five points.
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You can be listening out for them.
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Point number one,
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the arrival of the hour,
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which we'll see in those first four verses,
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20 through 23.
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Notice how John begins.
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He tells us that among those who had traveled to Jerusalem to worship at the feast
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were some Greeks.
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Now, before we consider the significance of their presence,
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we need to remember what has just happened.
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At the conclusion of our previous passage,
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in verse 19,
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the Pharisees expressed their frustration
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over the apparent inability of the religious establishment
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to contain Jesus' growing influence.
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They complained that their efforts were accomplishing nothing,
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and then they made a statement that was intended as an expression of exasperation,
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but proved to be remarkably significant in light of what John records next.
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They declared that the whole world was going after Jesus.
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Of course,
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the Pharisees were speaking with a certain degree of exaggeration.
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They were frustrated by the crowds who had gathered around Jesus,
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and they were alarmed by the possibility that his popularity
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would undermine their position among the people.
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But John immediately follows their complaint
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by introducing a group of Gentiles
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who have come looking for Jesus.
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That sequence is not accidental.
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Now,
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John identifies these individuals
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as Greeks.
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And in the first century,
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the term was frequently used
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to identify Greek-speaking Gentiles
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from various parts of the Roman world.
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And the point is this,
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and you'll see this repeatedly throughout Scripture,
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that these are not Jewish people
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seeking Jesus.
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The fact that they had come to Jerusalem
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to worship during Passover
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suggests that they possessed
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some meaningful interest
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in the God of Israel,
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which I assume
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fuels their interest
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in Jesus
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and what he has to say.
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Look at verse 21.
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They approach
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Philip,
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who John identifies
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as being from Bethsaida
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in Galilee,
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and they express their desire
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to him to see Jesus.
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They likely approach Philip
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because his Greek name,
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his name is Greek,
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or his association
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with a region
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containing substantial
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Gentile influence
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made him seem
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accessible,
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perhaps,
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right?
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A bridge
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to being able
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to speak
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to Jesus.
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And this is their request.
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They want to
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see Jesus,
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but they're not merely
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asking Philip
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to point Jesus out
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in the crowd,
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like,
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let us have a look at him.
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They're seeking an opportunity
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to meet him,
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speak with him,
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or at least
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to gain some personal access
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to the one
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whose ministry
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had attracted
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such extraordinary
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attention.
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Philip,
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evidently,
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doesn't know
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exactly how to respond
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because verse 22
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tells us
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that he goes
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to Andrew,
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and then the two of them
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bring the request
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to Jesus.
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The assumption here
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is that he goes
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to Andrew.
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Can we do this?
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Is this the thing
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that would be
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appropriate to do?
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And then they go
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together to Jesus.
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Why does John
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record this request?
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And why does Jesus
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respond to it
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in the way
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that he does?
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Because if you
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look carefully
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at verse 23,
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Jesus seems to
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provide an answer
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that has very little
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to do with what
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Philip and Andrew
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have just told him.
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They report
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that some Greeks
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wish to see him,
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and Jesus responds
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by announcing
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that his hour
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has come.
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He launches
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into something
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that seems
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unrelated
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at first.
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John never
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explicitly tells us
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whether these Greeks
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received the
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personal audience
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that they
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requested.
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I like to assume
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that they're
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still standing around
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as Jesus speaks,
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but we don't know
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for sure,
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and I think
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that that omission
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is significant.
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Because John
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wants us
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to look beyond
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the question
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of whether these
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particular individuals
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were able to meet
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Jesus,
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and recognize
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what their arrival
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represents
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in the unfolding
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purpose
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of God.
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Remember what
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John told us
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in chapter 11.
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Following the
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resurrection of
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Lazarus,
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the Jewish council
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gathered to consider
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what should be done
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about Jesus,
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and Caiaphas,
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the high priest,
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argued that it would be
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better for one man
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to die than for
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the entire nation
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to perish.
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But John
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explained that
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Caiaphas,
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without understanding
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the full significance
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of his own words,
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had prophesied
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concerning
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the death
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of Christ.
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Jesus would die
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for the nation,
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but not for
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the nation
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only.
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His death
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would also result
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in the gathering
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together of
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God's scattered
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children.
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That statement
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in John 11,
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verse 51
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and 52,
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anticipates
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the reality
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we begin to see
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represented
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in this passage.
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Jesus has not
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merely
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come to secure
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the salvation
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of ethnic
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Israel.
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He has come
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as the promised
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offspring of Abraham,
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through whom
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the nations
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of the earth
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will be blessed.
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He is the servant
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anticipated by Isaiah,
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whose mission
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would extend
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beyond the restoration
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of Israel
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to the bringing
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of God's salvation
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to the ends
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of the earth.
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He is the king
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of Zechariah,
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chapter 9.
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You may remember
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we read some
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of that
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two weeks ago
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in case you
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don't.
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Verses 9 and 10.
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Rejoice greatly,
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O daughter of Zion.
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Shout aloud,
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O daughter of Jerusalem.
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Behold,
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your king
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is coming to you.
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Righteous
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and having salvation
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is he,
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humble and
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mounted on a donkey,
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on a colt
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the foal
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of a donkey.
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I will cut off
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the chariot
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from Ephraim
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and the war horse
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from Jerusalem
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and the battle bow
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shall be cut off
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and he shall speak
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peace to the nations.
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His rule shall be
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from sea to sea
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and from the river
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to the ends
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of the earth.
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The arrival
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of these Greeks
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demonstrates
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that the significance
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of Jesus' mission
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cannot be confined
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to the expectations
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of the Jewish crowds
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who welcomed him
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into Jerusalem.
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But notice
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something else.
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Jesus does not
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respond
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to the interest
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of the Gentiles
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by announcing
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the immediate
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commencement
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of a worldwide
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ministry of public
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teaching.
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Instead,
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he announces
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his approaching
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death.
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And that is because
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the salvation
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of the nations
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will not be accomplished
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simply by extending
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the geographical reach
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of Jesus' teaching.
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It will be accomplished
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through his sacrificial
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death.
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The nations
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do not merely
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need an opportunity
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to hear the wisdom
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of a remarkable
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Jewish teacher.
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They need
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reconciliation
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with God.
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They need
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forgiveness of sins.
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They need deliverance
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from divine judgment.
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They need
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a Savior.
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And the blessings
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promised to Abraham
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cannot reach
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the nations
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apart from the
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redemptive work
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of the one
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in whom
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those promises
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find
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their fulfillment.
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Which brings us
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to Jesus'
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remarkable declaration
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in verse 23.
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The hour
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has come
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for the Son of Man
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to be glorified.
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Now if you've been
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paying attention
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as we've studied
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John's gospel
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you should recognize
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immediately
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that something
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momentous
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has changed
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previously mentioned.
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Throughout his ministry
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Jesus has repeatedly
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referred
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to an appointed hour
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that had not
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yet
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arrived.
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In John 2
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for example
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at the wedding
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in Cana
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Jesus explained
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that his hour
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had not yet
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come.
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In John 7
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when the authorities
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wanted to arrest him
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John tells us
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that they were
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unable to do so
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because his hour
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had not yet
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come.
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And again
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in John 8
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the same
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explanation
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is provided.
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We've talked
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about this
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divine timeline
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that Jesus
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is following
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again
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and again.
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We should
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understand
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these statements
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as evidence
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that the earthly
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ministry of Jesus
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unfolded
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according to
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the sovereign
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purpose
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and timing
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of his father.
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His life
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was not
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ultimately
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governed
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by the
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hostility
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of his enemies
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the enthusiasm
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of the crowds
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or the
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unpredictable
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circumstances
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of first century
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Judea.
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But now
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the hour
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that had
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repeatedly
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been described
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as future
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has finally
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arrived.
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And Jesus
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identifies that hour
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as the hour
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of his glorification.
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salvation.
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Now
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that ought
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to make us
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think carefully
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about the
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nature of
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his glory.
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Because when
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we hear that
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the son of man
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is about to be
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glorified
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we might
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naturally
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anticipate
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some
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extraordinary
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public
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demonstration
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of divine
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majesty.
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Perhaps
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we would
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expect a
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manifestation
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of heavenly
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power
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the visible
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defeat of
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his opponents
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or the
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immediate
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establishment
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of his
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kingdom
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in a manner
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that no one
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could deny.
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And certainly
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the glorification
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of Jesus
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includes
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his resurrection
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his exaltation
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to the
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father's
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right hand
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that's where
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my mind
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rushes off
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to
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and his
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return
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to the
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glory
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that he
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possessed
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with the
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father
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before
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the world
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existed.
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But in
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John's
18:29
gospel
18:30
we should
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get this
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clear in
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our minds
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that
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glorification
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cannot
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be
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separated
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from
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the cross.
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Indeed
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the cross
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is the
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decisive
18:41
means
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by which
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the son
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accomplishes
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the father's
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redemptive
18:45
purpose
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and reveals
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his glory.
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And that
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is precisely
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what Jesus
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explains
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in the next
18:54
verse.
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So point
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number
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two
18:58
notice
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the necessity
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of
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the cross.
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Just look
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at verse
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24
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for this
19:05
point.
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he tells
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his
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listeners
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that
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unless
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a grain
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of wheat
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falls
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into the
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earth
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and dies
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it remains
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alone.
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But
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through
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its
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death
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it
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produces
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a harvest.
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Now
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Jesus
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is using
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a familiar
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agricultural
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illustration
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to communicate
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a profound
19:25
theological
19:26
truth.
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An
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ordinary
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grain
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of wheat.
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I think
19:31
we all
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understand
19:32
this
19:32
concept.
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As long
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as that
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grain
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remains
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isolated
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unplanted
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it remains
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a single
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grain.
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It may
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be
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preserved
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examined
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stored
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perhaps
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could
19:51
admire
19:52
the grain
19:52
but it
19:53
will not
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produce
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a harvest
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of wheat
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while it
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remains
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in that
19:59
condition.
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If there
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is to be
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multiplication
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the grain
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must be
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placed
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into
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the ground
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and in
20:09
that process
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of
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germination
20:11
the seed
20:12
as it
20:13
previously
20:13
existed
20:14
gives way
20:15
to the
20:15
development
20:16
of new
20:17
life.
20:19
So it
20:19
must die
20:20
it must
20:20
be buried
20:21
is what
20:21
he is
20:22
saying.
20:23
Now
20:23
Jesus
20:24
is not
20:24
trying to
20:25
provide a
20:25
technical
20:25
lesson
20:26
in botany
20:26
from all
20:27
what he's
20:27
doing
20:27
here.
20:28
He's
20:28
using
20:28
an
20:28
illustration
20:29
drawn
20:29
from
20:30
ordinary
20:30
experience
20:31
of
20:31
agriculture
20:32
to
20:33
explain
20:33
the
20:34
necessity
20:34
of
20:35
his
20:35
approaching
20:36
death.
20:37
It's a
20:38
metaphor
20:38
for what's
20:39
about
20:39
to happen
20:41
and the
20:41
central
20:41
point
20:42
is
20:42
unmistakable.
20:46
The
20:46
fruitfulness
20:47
of his
20:48
mission
20:48
depends
20:49
on his
20:51
death.
20:52
Without
20:53
his death
20:53
there will
20:53
be no
20:54
saving
20:54
harvest.
20:56
We need
20:56
both
20:57
Jesus'
20:58
active
20:58
obedience
20:59
his
20:59
perfect
21:00
keeping
21:01
of
21:01
the
21:02
law
21:02
that's
21:02
what we've
21:03
been
21:03
witnessing
21:03
up to
21:04
this
21:04
point
21:04
and
21:05
will
21:05
in
21:05
the
21:05
coming
21:06
chapters
21:07
and
21:09
we
21:09
also
21:09
need
21:10
what is
21:10
called
21:10
his
21:11
passive
21:12
obedience
21:13
namely
21:13
his
21:14
sacrificial
21:15
death
21:16
to pay
21:16
the
21:17
penalty
21:17
for our
21:18
sin.
21:20
Jesus
21:20
did not
21:21
become
21:22
incarnate
21:23
simply
21:23
to
21:24
demonstrate
21:25
what a
21:25
righteous
21:25
human
21:25
life
21:26
should
21:27
look
21:27
like.
21:28
He did
21:29
not enter
21:29
the world
21:30
merely to
21:30
provide a
21:31
more
21:31
complete
21:32
understanding
21:32
of
21:33
religious
21:33
truth
21:34
and he
21:35
did not
21:35
come
21:35
simply
21:36
to
21:36
inspire
21:37
people
21:37
to
21:37
become
21:38
more
21:38
loving
21:38
or
21:39
sacrificial
21:39
or
21:40
more
21:40
devoted
21:41
to
21:42
God.
21:43
He
21:43
came
21:44
to
21:44
save
21:45
sinners
21:46
and
21:48
sinners
21:48
cannot
21:49
be
21:49
saved
21:50
by
21:50
admiring
21:51
the
21:52
righteousness
21:52
of
21:53
Jesus.
21:54
We
21:54
must
21:55
be
21:55
reconciled
21:56
to
21:56
God
21:56
through
21:57
his
21:57
sacrificial
21:58
death.
22:00
Why?
22:02
Because
22:03
our
22:03
fundamental
22:03
problem
22:04
is not
22:04
simply
22:05
that we
22:05
lack
22:06
sufficient
22:06
moral
22:07
instruction.
22:08
Our
22:09
fundamental
22:09
problem
22:10
at the
22:10
base
22:11
is that
22:12
we are
22:12
guilty
22:12
before
22:13
a
22:13
holy
22:13
God.
22:15
We
22:15
have
22:15
violated
22:16
his
22:16
good
22:17
law.
22:17
We
22:18
have
22:18
rejected
22:18
his
22:19
loving
22:19
authority
22:20
and we
22:20
have
22:20
fallen
22:21
short
22:21
of the
22:21
glory
22:22
for
22:22
which
22:22
we
22:22
were
22:23
created.
22:25
And
22:25
because
22:26
God
22:26
is
22:27
righteous
22:28
he
22:29
cannot
22:29
treat
22:30
our
22:30
rebellion
22:30
as though
22:31
it were
22:31
insignificant
22:32
his
22:33
justice
22:33
must
22:34
be
22:35
satisfied.
22:37
His
22:37
holiness
22:38
cannot
22:39
be
22:39
compromised.
22:41
The
22:41
penalty
22:42
of
22:42
sin
22:43
cannot
22:43
be
22:44
simply
22:44
ignored.
22:46
And
22:46
this is
22:46
all
22:47
good.
22:47
We
22:47
want
22:48
a
22:48
God
22:48
who
22:48
functions
22:49
this
22:49
way.
22:49
So
22:50
if
22:51
sinners
22:51
are
22:51
to
22:52
receive
22:52
forgiveness
22:52
and
22:53
eternal
22:53
life
22:53
there
22:54
must
22:54
be
22:54
an
22:54
atonement
22:55
that
22:56
actually
22:57
addresses
22:58
our
22:59
guilt.
23:00
And
23:01
this is
23:01
why
23:01
the
23:01
death
23:02
of
23:02
Christ
23:02
was
23:03
necessary.
23:05
Remember
23:06
what
23:06
John
23:06
the
23:06
Baptist
23:07
declares
23:07
near the
23:08
beginning
23:08
of
23:08
this
23:09
gospel
23:09
account.
23:10
When
23:10
he
23:11
saw
23:11
Jesus
23:11
approaching
23:12
he
23:12
identified
23:12
him
23:13
as
23:13
the
23:13
Lamb
23:13
of
23:14
God
23:14
who
23:14
takes
23:15
away
23:15
the
23:15
sin
23:16
of
23:17
the
23:17
world.
23:18
So
23:18
fitting
23:19
here
23:19
at
23:19
this
23:19
Passover
23:20
feast.
23:22
This
23:23
statement
23:23
connects
23:24
Jesus
23:24
to the
23:25
sacrificial
23:26
system
23:26
of the
23:26
Old
23:27
Testament
23:27
and
23:28
to the
23:28
promises
23:29
of a
23:29
coming
23:29
Redeemer
23:30
who
23:30
would
23:30
bear
23:31
the
23:31
sins
23:32
of
23:32
his
23:33
people.
23:34
And
23:34
throughout
23:35
John's
23:35
gospel
23:35
we
23:36
have
23:36
been
23:36
watching
23:37
those
23:38
expectations
23:39
move
23:40
toward
23:40
their
23:40
fulfillment.
23:43
Jesus
23:43
is the
23:45
true bread
23:45
from
23:45
heaven.
23:47
Jesus
23:47
is the
23:47
good
23:47
shepherd
23:48
who
23:48
lays
23:48
down
23:48
his
23:49
life
23:49
for
23:49
the
23:50
sheep.
23:51
He
23:51
is the
23:52
one
23:52
who
23:52
possesses
23:53
authority
23:53
to give
23:54
eternal
23:54
life.
23:56
And
23:56
now
23:56
he
23:57
explains
23:57
that
23:57
the
23:58
accomplishment
23:58
of a
23:59
saving
23:59
purpose
24:00
requires
24:01
his
24:01
death.
24:03
Jesus
24:04
is not
24:04
suggesting
24:05
that he
24:05
must
24:05
die
24:05
because
24:06
his
24:06
enemies
24:06
are
24:06
too
24:06
powerful
24:07
for
24:07
him
24:07
to
24:08
overcome.
24:09
Nor
24:09
is he
24:10
suggesting
24:10
that
24:10
his
24:10
mission
24:11
has
24:11
encountered
24:12
a
24:12
difficulty
24:12
for
24:12
which
24:13
death
24:13
has
24:13
become
24:13
the
24:14
only
24:14
remaining
24:15
possibility.
24:16
the
24:17
necessity
24:17
of his
24:18
death
24:18
is not
24:19
the
24:19
necessity
24:20
of
24:20
his
24:21
helplessness
24:22
but of
24:24
ours.
24:26
Why does
24:27
Jesus speak
24:28
about his
24:28
death when
24:29
the Gentiles
24:29
express a
24:30
desire
24:31
to see
24:31
him?
24:33
Because it is
24:33
through his
24:34
death and
24:35
resurrection
24:35
that God
24:36
creates
24:37
one
24:37
redeemed
24:38
people
24:39
from every
24:40
tribe
24:40
and language
24:41
and people
24:42
and nation.
24:45
You see
24:45
what he's
24:46
doing
24:46
here.
24:48
Point
24:49
number
24:49
three.
24:51
We can
24:51
note
24:51
the
24:52
cost
24:52
of
24:54
discipleship
24:55
verses
24:55
25
24:56
and
24:58
26.
24:59
Now
25:00
in these
25:00
verses
25:01
Jesus
25:01
makes
25:01
a
25:02
transition
25:02
that
25:03
might
25:03
initially
25:03
seem
25:04
a bit
25:05
abrupt.
25:06
He has
25:07
just
25:07
explained
25:08
the
25:08
necessity
25:08
of his
25:09
own
25:09
death
25:09
by
25:10
comparing
25:10
himself
25:10
to a
25:11
grain
25:11
of
25:11
wheat
25:11
that
25:11
must
25:12
die
25:12
in order
25:12
to
25:13
produce
25:13
a
25:14
harvest.
25:15
But
25:16
then
25:16
he
25:16
begins
25:17
speaking
25:17
about
25:18
the
25:18
lives
25:18
of
25:18
those
25:19
who
25:19
would
25:19
follow
25:20
him.
25:21
He's
25:21
not
25:22
changing
25:23
the
25:23
subject.
25:24
Rather
25:25
he is
25:25
explaining
25:26
that
25:26
the
25:26
nature
25:27
of
25:27
his
25:27
saving
25:27
work
25:28
has
25:28
profound
25:29
implications
25:29
for
25:30
the
25:30
lives
25:30
of
25:30
those
25:31
who
25:31
receive
25:32
the
25:32
salvation
25:32
he
25:33
has
25:33
come
25:33
to
25:34
accomplish.
25:36
Notice
25:36
verse
25:36
25.
25:39
Jesus
25:39
teaches
25:39
that the
25:40
person
25:40
who
25:40
loves
25:41
his
25:41
life
25:41
will lose
25:42
it.
25:43
While
25:44
the person
25:44
who hates
25:44
his life
25:45
in this
25:45
world
25:46
will preserve
25:46
!
25:47
He's
25:47
going to
25:47
for eternal
25:48
life.
25:50
That's a
25:51
remarkable
25:52
statement.
25:55
And if we're going to understand it correctly,
25:57
we need to consider what Jesus means by these contrasting expressions
26:01
of love and hatred.
26:03
God
26:04
because Jesus
26:04
is obviously not
26:05
commanding us to cultivate
26:07
a psychological
26:08
contempt
26:09
for ourselves.
26:11
Nor is he suggesting
26:13
that the Christian life
26:14
requires us to despise
26:15
the physical
26:16
existence
26:17
God
26:17
has given us.
26:20
Throughout the scriptures,
26:21
human life
26:22
is consistently
26:23
presented
26:23
as a good
26:24
gift
26:25
from God.
26:26
We are created
26:28
in his image.
26:29
We are called
26:30
to exercise
26:31
responsible stewardship
26:32
over our bodies.
26:34
And we are commanded
26:35
to love our neighbors
26:36
as ourselves,
26:38
which assumes
26:39
that ordinary concern
26:40
for our own well-being
26:41
is neither inherently
26:42
sinful
26:43
or inappropriate.
26:46
So what does Jesus
26:47
mean when he speaks
26:48
about loving
26:49
or hating
26:50
one's
26:51
life?
26:53
He's contrasting
26:54
two fundamentally
26:56
different orientations
26:58
toward life.
27:00
The person
27:01
who loves
27:01
his life
27:02
in the manner
27:02
Jesus condemns
27:03
is the person
27:04
who regards
27:05
his present existence,
27:07
his personal ambitions,
27:09
his earthly comforts,
27:11
and his immediate
27:12
desires
27:12
as the highest
27:13
priorities
27:14
governing
27:15
his decisions.
27:18
This kind of person
27:19
is determined
27:20
to preserve
27:20
his life
27:21
on his
27:22
own
27:23
terms.
27:24
He wants
27:26
the benefits
27:27
of God's
27:28
creation
27:28
without surrendering
27:29
himself to the
27:30
authority
27:30
of the
27:31
Creator.
27:33
He wants
27:34
fulfillment
27:35
without obedience,
27:37
security
27:38
without sacrifice,
27:39
and ultimately
27:40
life without
27:42
the Lord
27:43
Jesus Christ.
27:46
Some years ago
27:47
we had a
27:48
young man
27:49
who was a
27:49
member of our
27:50
church
27:50
who was kind
27:52
of on this
27:52
trajectory
27:53
and was
27:54
beginning to
27:54
read and
27:55
listen to
27:55
various
27:56
sources
27:57
that wanted
27:58
to undermine
27:59
the
28:00
inerrancy
28:01
and the
28:01
authority
28:01
of the
28:02
Bible.
28:04
And in
28:04
response to
28:05
that I
28:05
wrote a
28:06
little
28:06
opening
28:07
phrase
28:08
at the
28:09
beginning
28:09
of all
28:10
of my
28:10
sermons
28:10
just before
28:11
we read
28:11
the text.
28:13
And I
28:13
don't say
28:13
it anymore,
28:14
most of
28:14
you will
28:14
be familiar
28:15
with this,
28:16
but in
28:16
some sense
28:17
I typically
28:17
pray this.
28:19
And I
28:19
would just
28:20
say this,
28:20
and this
28:20
was in
28:21
response
28:21
to him
28:22
and the
28:22
way he
28:23
was
28:23
thinking.
28:25
I would
28:25
just say
28:25
this,
28:25
beloved,
28:26
this is
28:26
God's
28:27
word to
28:27
us,
28:28
written for
28:29
his glory
28:30
and our
28:30
good.
28:32
We would
28:32
all do
28:33
well to
28:33
listen to
28:34
it in
28:34
order to
28:35
believe
28:35
its
28:36
promises,
28:37
yes,
28:37
right,
28:38
we want to
28:38
believe
28:38
its promises
28:39
and
28:40
obey
28:42
its
28:42
commands.
28:43
You must
28:44
have
28:44
God on
28:46
his
28:47
terms.
28:48
God
28:50
now
28:50
as a
28:50
very
28:51
small
28:51
aside,
28:52
as we're
28:53
thinking
28:53
about
28:53
these
28:55
Gentiles
28:55
coming
28:55
and
28:56
seeking
28:56
Jesus
28:57
and
28:58
that
28:58
particular
28:58
phrase
28:59
in the
29:00
middle
29:00
of
29:00
this
29:01
text,
29:02
I want
29:02
to
29:02
play
29:02
something
29:03
for
29:03
you.
29:04
I've
29:04
heard
29:04
that
29:04
trying
29:04
technological
29:05
things
29:05
when you
29:05
haven't
29:06
tested
29:06
them
29:06
is
29:06
a
29:06
great
29:07
idea
29:07
when
29:07
everybody
29:08
is
29:08
looking
29:08
at
29:08
you.
29:10
But
29:10
this
29:11
was
29:11
sent
29:11
to
29:12
me
29:12
from
29:12
a
29:12
ministry
29:12
partner,
29:13
Caleb,
29:14
they were
29:14
serving
29:14
in
29:15
Southeast
29:15
Asia,
29:16
and
29:17
he had
29:18
preach
29:19
in
29:19
the
29:19
native
29:20
language
29:20
the
29:21
other
29:21
day
29:22
and
29:23
sent
29:24
me
29:24
this
29:24
recording.
29:25
He
29:25
uses
29:26
that
29:27
phrase.
29:28
He
29:28
said
29:29
to me,
29:29
I've
29:29
been
29:29
plagiarizing
29:30
that
29:30
phrase
29:31
for
29:31
quite
29:31
some
29:32
time.
29:33
But
29:33
he
29:33
did
29:34
it
29:34
in
29:34
the
29:34
native
29:34
language.
29:34
I
29:34
just
29:34
wanted
29:34
you
29:35
to
29:35
hear
29:35
it.
29:35
I've
29:36
played
29:36
this
29:36
over
29:37
and
29:37
over
29:37
again
29:37
this
29:37
past
29:37
week
29:38
and
29:38
I've
29:38
been
29:38
so
29:38
very
29:38
encouraged.
29:48
Isn't
29:56
that
29:56
cool?
29:57
Not the
29:58
whole
29:58
thing,
29:58
that's
29:58
about
29:58
a
29:58
third
29:58
of
29:59
it.
30:00
The
30:01
closed
30:01
captioning
30:02
goes on,
30:02
it's
30:02
quite long
30:04
for him
30:05
to say
30:05
all of
30:06
that.
30:08
This
30:08
is what
30:09
Jesus is
30:09
talking
30:09
about,
30:10
right?
30:10
He
30:10
is
30:10
warning
30:11
that
30:11
the
30:11
person
30:11
who
30:12
insists
30:13
upon
30:13
possessing
30:14
life
30:14
in
30:14
that
30:15
manner
30:15
will
30:17
ultimately
30:17
lose
30:18
it.
30:20
Now
30:20
the
30:20
irony
30:21
of
30:21
that
30:21
statement
30:21
is
30:21
just
30:22
extraordinary.
30:24
The
30:24
person
30:24
who
30:24
organizes
30:25
his
30:25
entire
30:26
existence
30:26
around
30:27
preserving
30:27
and
30:27
enjoying
30:28
his
30:28
present
30:28
life
30:29
will
30:29
eventually
30:30
discover
30:30
that
30:31
everything
30:31
he
30:31
sought
30:32
to
30:32
preserve
30:32
was
30:34
temporary.
30:35
His
30:35
possessions
30:36
cannot
30:37
protect
30:37
him
30:37
from
30:38
death.
30:39
Reputation
30:40
cannot
30:40
secure
30:40
his
30:41
standing
30:41
before
30:42
God.
30:42
His
30:42
accomplishments
30:43
cannot
30:44
provide
30:45
forgiveness
30:46
of
30:47
sin.
30:48
And
30:48
his
30:48
efforts
30:48
to
30:48
maintain
30:49
personal
30:50
autonomy
30:50
cannot
30:51
deliver
30:52
him
30:52
from
30:53
divine
30:53
judgment.
30:55
As
30:55
powerful
30:55
as you
30:56
may
30:56
think
30:56
you
30:57
are
30:57
to
30:57
make
30:57
your
30:57
own
30:58
choices
30:58
now,
30:59
you
30:59
will
30:59
one
31:00
day
31:00
stand
31:01
before
31:01
God.
31:03
This
31:04
person
31:04
may
31:05
gain
31:05
everything
31:05
this
31:06
world
31:06
can
31:06
offer,
31:07
but
31:08
if
31:08
he
31:08
remains
31:08
alienated
31:09
from
31:09
God,
31:10
he
31:10
has
31:10
lost
31:11
the
31:11
only
31:11
life
31:12
that
31:12
ultimately
31:13
matters.
31:16
And
31:16
Jesus
31:16
is not
31:17
speaking
31:17
merely
31:18
about
31:18
the
31:18
inevitable
31:19
experience
31:20
of
31:20
physical
31:20
death.
31:21
We
31:21
all
31:22
know
31:22
this.
31:22
He's
31:22
speaking
31:23
about
31:23
the
31:23
loss
31:24
of
31:25
eternal
31:25
life.
31:28
Remember
31:28
the question
31:29
Jesus
31:29
raises
31:29
elsewhere
31:30
in the
31:30
Gospels
31:31
concerning
31:31
the value
31:32
of
31:32
gaining
31:33
the
31:33
whole
31:33
world
31:34
while
31:35
forfeiting
31:35
one's
31:36
soul.
31:37
That's
31:38
the issue
31:38
presented
31:39
here.
31:42
Conversely,
31:44
it is
31:44
possible to
31:45
surrender
31:45
everything
31:46
this world
31:46
considers
31:47
valuable
31:47
while
31:48
receiving
31:48
the
31:49
greatest
31:50
possible
31:51
treasure.
31:53
Which is
31:54
why Jesus
31:55
describes
31:55
the second
31:56
person as
31:57
one who
31:58
hates
31:58
his life
31:59
in this
32:00
world.
32:01
Now,
32:02
the language
32:02
of hatred
32:03
is a
32:03
familiar
32:04
biblical
32:05
way of
32:06
communicating
32:07
a radical
32:07
distinction
32:08
in
32:09
allegiance.
32:11
We
32:11
encounter
32:12
similar
32:12
language
32:13
in Luke
32:13
chapter 14
32:14
verse 26
32:15
where Jesus
32:16
teaches
32:16
that
32:17
discipleship
32:18
requires
32:18
a willingness
32:19
to
32:19
support
32:19
even
32:20
our
32:20
closest
32:21
earthly
32:21
relationships
32:22
to our
32:23
allegiance
32:23
to him.
32:25
The point
32:26
is not
32:26
that genuine
32:27
discipleship
32:28
requires a
32:29
violation
32:29
of the
32:30
commandments
32:30
to honor
32:31
our parents
32:32
or love
32:32
our families.
32:34
rather,
32:35
our love
32:36
for Christ
32:36
must be
32:37
so supreme
32:38
that every
32:40
competing
32:40
loyalty
32:41
is subject
32:43
to him.
32:46
And that's
32:46
the point
32:47
Jesus is
32:47
making
32:48
in John
32:48
12.
32:51
The person
32:51
who hates
32:52
his life
32:52
in this
32:52
world
32:53
is the
32:53
person
32:53
who refuses
32:54
to regard
32:54
his present
32:55
life as
32:56
more valuable
32:56
than obedience
32:58
to Jesus
32:59
Christ.
33:00
He recognizes
33:01
that his
33:02
life belongs
33:03
to God.
33:04
His time
33:05
belongs to
33:06
God.
33:06
His possessions
33:07
belong to
33:09
God.
33:10
His abilities,
33:12
opportunities,
33:12
relationships,
33:14
ambitions,
33:14
future,
33:15
all belong
33:16
to the
33:17
Lord who
33:17
created him
33:18
and redeemed
33:20
him.
33:21
And consequently,
33:22
he is willing
33:23
to surrender
33:23
anything that
33:25
would require
33:26
disobedience
33:27
to Christ.
33:28
Christ.
33:29
Now,
33:30
I think we
33:30
should be
33:30
very careful
33:31
about the
33:32
way we
33:32
apply this
33:33
passage because
33:33
there is a
33:34
tendency within
33:35
certain expressions
33:36
of Christianity
33:37
to reduce
33:38
self-denial to
33:39
a collection
33:40
of external
33:41
religious
33:42
practices.
33:44
We may
33:45
begin imagining
33:46
that the
33:46
seriousness of
33:47
our discipleship
33:48
can be measured
33:48
by the degree
33:49
to which
33:50
we voluntarily
33:51
deprive
33:51
ourselves of
33:52
ordinary
33:53
earthly
33:53
comforts.
33:56
Self-denial
33:57
is not
33:58
at its
33:59
core a
34:00
question of
34:00
how much
34:01
discomfort
34:01
we can
34:02
impose upon
34:02
ourselves.
34:04
It's a
34:04
question of
34:05
who possesses
34:06
ultimate
34:07
authority
34:07
over our
34:09
lives.
34:10
The call
34:11
to deny
34:11
ourselves
34:12
is not
34:12
the call
34:13
to engage
34:14
in suffering
34:14
for its
34:15
own sake.
34:17
It is the
34:18
call to
34:19
surrender
34:19
our supposed
34:20
right to
34:21
determine the
34:21
course of
34:22
our lives
34:23
independently
34:24
of Christ.
34:26
Christian
34:27
discipleship
34:28
begins with
34:29
the recognition
34:30
that we
34:31
belong to
34:32
Jesus.
34:33
We've been
34:33
purchased by
34:35
our personal
34:35
preferences.
34:38
The concern
34:39
here is less
34:40
about what
34:40
we do
34:41
or don't
34:42
do and
34:43
more about
34:43
the orientation
34:45
of our
34:46
hearts,
34:46
which will
34:47
have expression
34:47
I recognize.
34:50
Notice how
34:51
Jesus develops
34:52
this idea
34:53
in verse
34:53
26.
34:56
He declares
34:56
that anyone
34:57
who serves
34:58
him must
34:59
follow him.
35:02
Jesus
35:02
does not
35:02
identify his
35:03
servants merely
35:03
by the
35:04
activities they
35:05
perform.
35:07
He identifies
35:08
them by their
35:09
willingness to
35:11
follow him.
35:12
And where
35:13
is Jesus
35:14
going?
35:16
Within the
35:17
immediate context,
35:18
he's going to
35:19
cross.
35:21
We need to
35:22
make a really
35:23
important
35:24
distinction
35:25
at this
35:26
point.
35:28
When Jesus
35:29
calls us to
35:29
follow him,
35:30
he is not
35:30
suggesting that
35:31
our suffering
35:32
accomplishes
35:33
the same
35:34
redemptive
35:35
purpose as
35:35
his
35:36
suffering.
35:39
His death
35:39
is unique.
35:40
He's qualified
35:40
to offer
35:41
himself as
35:42
the substitutionary
35:43
sacrifice for
35:45
sinners.
35:45
others.
35:46
He alone
35:47
bears the
35:48
judgment of
35:48
God in
35:49
the place
35:49
of those
35:50
who he
35:51
came to
35:51
redeem.
35:53
Our
35:54
suffering does
35:54
not supplement
35:55
his atoning
35:57
work.
35:58
And our
35:59
obedience does
35:59
not earn the
36:00
salvation that
36:01
his death
36:02
has
36:03
accomplished.
36:04
The
36:06
Christian does
36:06
not contribute
36:07
to his
36:08
justification
36:08
through self
36:10
denial.
36:11
We are
36:11
justified by
36:12
grace alone
36:13
through faith
36:14
alone in
36:14
the person
36:15
and work of
36:15
Jesus Christ
36:16
alone.
36:18
Amen.
36:20
But the
36:21
salvation that
36:21
unites us to
36:22
Jesus Christ
36:23
also produces
36:24
a transformation
36:25
in our
36:27
relationship to
36:28
the world.
36:30
We are
36:30
called to
36:30
follow our
36:31
crucified and
36:33
risen Lord.
36:34
salvation.
36:35
And I think
36:36
that distinction
36:36
is especially
36:37
important in a
36:38
culture that
36:38
frequently presents
36:39
Christianity as
36:41
a means of
36:42
securing personal
36:43
fulfillment.
36:45
So on the
36:45
one hand we
36:46
suffer that we
36:47
might earn
36:48
righteousness.
36:49
On the other
36:49
we may think
36:50
that Christianity
36:50
is a way that
36:51
we just fill
36:53
up.
36:55
We are
36:55
sometimes encouraged
36:56
to think that
36:56
following Jesus
36:57
will enable us to
36:58
accomplish our
36:59
ambitions,
36:59
achieve our
37:00
goals,
37:00
overcome our
37:01
difficulties,
37:02
and obtain the
37:03
kind of earthly
37:04
life we have
37:05
always wanted.
37:07
The gospel
37:08
brings extraordinary
37:10
blessings.
37:13
Forgiveness,
37:14
reconciliation,
37:15
adoption,
37:16
peace with God,
37:18
and the promise
37:18
of eternal life
37:20
and obedience to
37:22
God's word
37:22
frequently produces
37:24
very real benefits
37:25
within our
37:26
earthly circumstances.
37:28
promises.
37:30
But Jesus
37:30
never promises
37:31
that discipleship
37:32
will preserve
37:34
all our
37:34
ambitions or
37:35
protect us
37:36
from suffering.
37:38
In fact,
37:39
he tells us
37:39
that genuine
37:40
discipleship will
37:41
necessarily require
37:42
the surrender
37:43
of our lives
37:44
to his
37:46
authority.
37:47
And at
37:47
times,
37:48
that surrender
37:49
is costly.
37:53
But notice
37:54
that Jesus
37:54
does not
37:55
conclude
37:55
verse 26
37:56
with a warning
37:58
about cost.
38:00
He concludes
38:01
with a promise.
38:04
He tells his
38:05
disciples that
38:06
those who serve
38:07
him will be
38:08
with him.
38:10
And that the
38:11
Father will honor
38:12
those who serve
38:14
the Son.
38:16
That's
38:16
extraordinary.
38:18
What
38:18
promise.
38:21
Jesus
38:21
moving towards
38:22
humiliation,
38:23
suffering,
38:24
and death.
38:24
And he tells
38:25
those who follow
38:26
him that
38:27
their ultimate
38:27
destination is
38:28
not defeat,
38:29
but fellowship
38:30
with him.
38:33
The servant
38:34
will be
38:34
where the
38:35
Master is.
38:37
And in the
38:38
context of
38:38
John's gospel,
38:39
that promise
38:40
anticipates
38:40
what Jesus
38:42
will explain
38:42
more fully
38:43
in chapter 14
38:44
when he speaks
38:46
about preparing
38:46
a place for
38:47
his disciples
38:48
and receiving
38:49
them to
38:49
himself.
38:52
Christian
38:52
discipleship may
38:53
require the
38:53
loss of things
38:54
we presently
38:55
treasure,
38:56
but it
38:57
leads to the
38:58
possession of
38:58
something
38:59
incomparably
39:00
greater.
39:02
We will
39:02
be with
39:04
Christ.
39:07
And not
39:07
only will we
39:08
be with
39:08
Christ,
39:09
but Jesus
39:10
says that the
39:10
Father will
39:11
honor those
39:12
who serve
39:13
him.
39:14
The eternal
39:15
God whose
39:15
glory surpasses
39:16
anything we can
39:17
comprehend promises
39:19
to honor those
39:20
who belong
39:21
to his Son.
39:25
Fourthly,
39:26
you're tracking
39:26
time, I'm
39:27
going to speed
39:27
up.
39:29
The resolve
39:30
of the
39:31
Savior.
39:33
Look at
39:33
verse 27 in
39:34
the first part
39:35
of 28.
39:37
Jesus has
39:38
just explained
39:39
his death is
39:39
necessary for
39:40
the salvation
39:40
of his people
39:41
and he has
39:41
called his
39:42
disciples to
39:43
follow him
39:43
in self-denying
39:44
obedience.
39:46
But now he
39:47
reveals something
39:48
of the anguish
39:49
he is experiencing
39:50
as he contemplates
39:51
the suffering
39:52
that awaits
39:53
him.
39:55
He explains
39:56
that his soul
39:56
is troubled.
39:59
We should see
39:59
the significance
40:00
of that statement
40:01
because throughout
40:02
John's gospel,
40:03
the authority
40:03
of Jesus has
40:04
been presented
40:05
with extraordinary
40:06
clarity.
40:08
He speaks
40:08
with divine
40:09
authority.
40:10
He possesses
40:10
knowledge that
40:11
no ordinary
40:11
human could
40:12
possess.
40:13
He exercises
40:13
sovereign power
40:14
over disease
40:15
and nature
40:15
and demons
40:16
and death
40:17
itself.
40:17
And in our
40:19
study of
40:20
chapter 11
40:20
we witness
40:21
him standing
40:21
before the
40:22
tomb of
40:22
Lazarus
40:23
and commanding
40:23
a dead
40:24
man to
40:25
come out.
40:26
His word
40:27
was sufficient
40:27
to reverse
40:28
the physical
40:29
reality of
40:30
death and
40:30
yet here
40:31
as Jesus
40:32
contemplates
40:33
his own
40:34
approaching
40:34
death
40:35
he expresses
40:36
distress.
40:39
Now we
40:40
should not
40:40
interpret the
40:41
distress as
40:41
though Jesus
40:42
were experiencing
40:42
some kind
40:43
of crisis
40:44
of faith
40:45
nor should
40:46
we imagine
40:47
that he
40:47
has become
40:47
uncertain
40:48
about the
40:49
father's
40:49
purposes.
40:51
He's
40:52
repeatedly
40:52
explained the
40:53
necessity of
40:53
his death
40:54
and he has
40:54
deliberately
40:54
moved toward
40:55
Jerusalem
40:56
with full
40:56
knowledge of
40:57
what awaits
40:58
him.
40:59
But the
41:00
certainty of
41:00
his mission
41:01
does not
41:01
eliminate the
41:02
reality of
41:03
his human
41:03
suffering.
41:06
We understand
41:07
this to
41:08
maintain a
41:09
biblical
41:10
doctrine of
41:11
the incarnation.
41:13
Jesus Christ
41:13
is not merely
41:14
God appearing
41:15
to possess a
41:16
human body.
41:18
He's not a
41:19
divine person
41:20
who has
41:21
temporarily
41:21
adopted the
41:22
outward
41:22
characteristics of
41:23
humanity
41:24
or remaining
41:25
unaffected by
41:26
genuinely human
41:28
experiences.
41:30
Truly God
41:31
and truly
41:33
man.
41:35
The
41:35
hypostatic
41:35
union.
41:37
He is the
41:38
eternal son of
41:38
God who has
41:39
assumed a
41:40
true human
41:41
nature.
41:43
He possesses a
41:44
human body,
41:44
a human mind,
41:45
a human
41:46
will.
41:47
He experiences
41:48
genuine human
41:49
affections and
41:51
emotions.
41:52
His humanity
41:53
is not
41:55
diminished by
41:56
his deity.
41:58
So when
41:58
Jesus tells us
41:59
that his soul
42:00
is troubled,
42:03
we should
42:03
understand that
42:04
he is describing
42:04
genuine
42:05
anguish.
42:08
The approaching
42:08
cross is not
42:09
something he
42:10
regards with
42:11
emotional
42:12
indifference.
42:14
He knows
42:15
the coming
42:16
pain of
42:17
physical
42:17
suffering.
42:18
He knows
42:19
the coming
42:19
horror of
42:20
death.
42:22
More
42:22
importantly,
42:23
he knows
42:23
that his
42:23
death will
42:24
involve bearing
42:25
the judgment
42:25
of God
42:26
against the
42:27
sins of
42:28
his people,
42:29
a thing we
42:30
could not
42:31
quite comprehend.
42:34
Now we
42:35
need to
42:35
recognize that
42:36
the distress
42:36
of Jesus
42:37
that he's
42:37
experiencing
42:38
is not
42:38
evidence of
42:39
some kind
42:40
of weakness.
42:42
There's
42:42
nothing sinful
42:43
about the
42:44
natural human
42:45
aversion to
42:46
suffering and
42:47
death.
42:49
Death is not
42:50
part of the
42:50
goodness of
42:50
creation as
42:51
God established
42:52
it.
42:54
Death entered
42:54
the world
42:55
through sin.
42:57
And although
42:57
Christ is
42:58
completely without
42:59
sin, he has
43:00
entered a world
43:00
corrupted by
43:01
sin and
43:02
voluntarily assumed
43:03
the responsibility
43:04
of bearing
43:04
sin's penalty
43:05
on behalf of
43:07
his people.
43:07
sin.
43:08
It should not
43:09
surprise us
43:10
therefore that
43:11
he experiences
43:11
anguish as
43:14
he anticipates
43:14
the cross.
43:16
In fact, his
43:17
distress ought to
43:18
deepen our
43:19
understanding of
43:20
the significance
43:20
of what he's
43:22
about to
43:22
accomplish.
43:25
Now, there
43:26
is an
43:26
interesting
43:26
connection between
43:27
this passage and
43:28
what we read in
43:29
other gospels
43:29
concerning Jesus'
43:30
experience in
43:31
the Garden of
43:32
Gethsemane.
43:34
John does not
43:35
provide the same
43:35
extended account of
43:36
Jesus' agony in
43:37
the Garden that
43:38
we find in
43:38
Matthew, Mark,
43:40
and Luke.
43:41
Instead, John
43:42
records this
43:43
earlier expression
43:44
of distress as
43:45
Jesus contemplates
43:46
the approaching
43:47
hour.
43:50
And the
43:50
theological
43:50
relationship between
43:52
the passage is
43:53
unmistakable.
43:53
In both settings,
43:54
we encounter the
43:56
genuine anguish
43:56
of Jesus as he
43:57
considers the
43:59
suffering that
44:00
awaits him.
44:01
And in both
44:02
settings, his
44:03
response is
44:03
characterized by
44:05
perfect submission
44:06
to the Father's
44:07
will.
44:09
Look again at
44:10
verse 27.
44:11
Jesus raises
44:12
the question
44:13
of what he
44:14
should say in
44:15
light of his
44:16
distress.
44:19
Should he ask
44:20
the Father to
44:21
deliver him from
44:22
this hour?
44:24
Now, there's a
44:25
legitimate interpretive
44:26
question concerning
44:27
the punctuation of
44:28
this verse because
44:28
the earliest Greek
44:30
manuscripts do not
44:31
contain the same
44:32
system that we use
44:34
in our English
44:34
translations.
44:36
And commentators
44:36
have differed over
44:38
whether Jesus is
44:39
describing a prayer
44:40
he might offer or
44:41
actually expressing a
44:42
petition before
44:44
immediately reaffirming
44:45
his submission to
44:46
the Father's purpose.
44:48
I appreciate the
44:50
punctuation the ESV
44:51
translators use,
44:54
and I read it that
44:55
way quite purposefully,
44:57
which makes the
44:58
question at this
45:00
point rhetorical.
45:02
He's asking it,
45:04
should I ask this?
45:06
No, I won't ask
45:07
this.
45:08
I'm going to submit
45:08
myself to the
45:09
Father.
45:10
But yet later in
45:11
the garden, he
45:13
does.
45:14
And I think we see
45:15
Jesus as humanity
45:16
going through the
45:17
exercise, taking up
45:19
God's promise and
45:21
purpose and speaking
45:23
the truth to
45:25
himself.
45:27
Either way, the
45:28
essential point is
45:29
not difficult.
45:30
He chooses to
45:30
abandon the purpose
45:31
for which he has
45:33
come.
45:35
He declares that
45:36
this hour is the
45:37
very reason he has
45:37
arrived at this
45:39
point in his
45:40
mission.
45:42
Now in Jesus'
45:42
distress, notice
45:43
the brief prayer
45:45
in verse 28.
45:47
So a lesson in
45:49
prayer here, I
45:49
think.
45:50
He asks the
45:51
Father to glorify
45:53
his name.
45:55
That's his response
45:56
to this anguish.
45:58
Father, glorify
45:59
your name.
46:01
Does not make the
46:02
preservation of his
46:03
earthly life the
46:04
ultimate objective of
46:05
this prayer.
46:06
He makes the glory of
46:08
his Father the
46:10
concern.
46:12
And that is
46:12
entirely consistent
46:13
with everything we
46:14
have seen throughout
46:15
John's gospel.
46:17
I'll skip bringing up
46:18
all of those points.
46:20
the Father's glory
46:24
is what he seeks
46:25
here, which brings
46:26
us to the
46:27
remarkable response
46:28
that followed
46:29
Jesus' prayer.
46:30
So number five,
46:32
we're going to land
46:32
the plane here
46:33
soon.
46:34
Last part of
46:35
verse 28 and
46:35
verse 29.
46:36
Look at the
46:37
second half of
46:37
verse 28.
46:40
Jesus has just
46:40
asked the Father
46:41
to glorify his
46:42
name and John
46:42
tells us that a
46:43
voice comes from
46:44
heaven declaring
46:45
that the Father
46:46
has glorified his
46:47
name and will
46:48
glorify it
46:49
again.
46:51
Now throughout
46:52
the scriptures,
46:53
occasions on which
46:53
God speaks audibly
46:54
from heaven are
46:55
extraordinarily
46:56
significant.
46:58
We should remember
46:59
the voice of the
47:00
Father at the
47:00
baptism of Jesus
47:01
when he identified
47:02
Jesus as his
47:03
beloved son.
47:04
We should remember
47:05
the transfiguration
47:06
when the Father
47:07
again testified
47:08
concerning the
47:09
identity of his
47:10
son and commanded
47:11
the disciples to
47:12
listen to him.
47:13
And now as Jesus
47:14
approaches the
47:15
cross, the
47:16
Father once again
47:17
provides an audible
47:19
testimony.
47:21
But note its
47:21
content.
47:23
The Father declares
47:24
he has already
47:25
glorified his name
47:26
and that he will
47:26
glorify it again.
47:29
What does that
47:29
mean?
47:32
Well, throughout the
47:33
earthly ministry of
47:34
Jesus, the Father's
47:35
glory has been
47:35
revealed through the
47:36
person and work of
47:38
his son.
47:39
Remember what John
47:40
told us in chapter
47:41
one.
47:42
The eternal word
47:43
became flesh and
47:44
dwelt among us and
47:45
the disciples beheld
47:46
his glory.
47:49
The glory of the
47:50
Father was revealed
47:51
through the
47:51
incarnation.
47:53
It was manifested
47:54
through the signs
47:54
Jesus performed.
47:55
It was revealed
47:56
through his
47:56
authoritative teaching.
47:58
It was demonstrated
47:59
through his perfect
48:00
obedience.
48:02
And it was displayed
48:03
through the extraordinary
48:04
revelation of divine
48:05
grace and truth
48:06
embodied in his
48:07
very person.
48:10
Consider the miracle
48:11
we've recently studied
48:12
in John chapter 11.
48:13
Before raising
48:14
Lazarus from the
48:15
dead, Jesus
48:15
explained that the
48:16
sickness would
48:17
ultimately result in
48:18
the glory of God,
48:19
that the Son of God
48:21
might be glorified
48:22
through it.
48:24
And when Jesus
48:24
stood before the
48:25
tomb, he reminded
48:26
Martha that belief
48:27
would enable her to
48:28
see the glory of God.
48:31
Then he called
48:32
Lazarus from the
48:33
grave.
48:34
And in that
48:35
miraculous display of
48:36
authority over death,
48:37
the glory of God
48:37
was revealed through
48:38
the power of a
48:40
Son.
48:40
So when the
48:42
Father declares
48:43
that he has already
48:43
glorified his name,
48:44
we should understand
48:45
that his glory has
48:46
been, we will
48:47
glorify his name
48:48
again.
48:50
And in the
48:50
immediate context,
48:51
that declaration
48:52
directs our attention
48:54
toward the approaching
48:54
death and exaltation
48:56
of Jesus.
48:58
The Father will be
48:59
glorified through the
49:00
obedient sacrifice
49:02
of a Son.
49:04
And he will be
49:04
glorified through the
49:05
resurrection and
49:07
the exaltation
49:08
that follows.
49:08
these events are
49:11
so intimately
49:12
connected with
49:12
John's theology
49:13
that the death,
49:14
resurrection,
49:15
exaltation of
49:16
Jesus together
49:17
constitute the
49:18
climactic
49:19
accomplishment of
49:20
his appointed
49:22
hour.
49:24
The cross reveals
49:25
the Father's glory
49:26
because it
49:27
demonstrates the
49:28
perfection of his
49:29
redemptive purpose.
49:33
Now, look at
49:34
verse 29.
49:36
John records
49:37
that the crowd
49:37
standing nearby
49:38
heard the voice
49:39
from heaven,
49:39
but they did
49:40
not respond to
49:41
it all in the
49:42
same way.
49:44
Some concluded
49:45
that they had
49:46
heard thunder.
49:48
Others believed
49:48
that an angel
49:49
had spoken to
49:50
Jesus.
49:52
That's an
49:52
interesting detail,
49:54
right?
49:55
What is happening
49:56
here?
49:57
We might imagine
49:59
that an audible
50:00
voice from heaven
50:00
would immediately
50:01
eliminate every
50:02
possibility of
50:04
misunderstanding.
50:05
Surely, if God
50:07
himself speaks
50:08
audibly in the
50:09
presence of a
50:10
crowd, everyone
50:10
will recognize
50:11
what has
50:12
happened.
50:13
That is not
50:14
what John
50:14
records.
50:16
The varied
50:17
responses
50:17
shows the
50:20
same theme
50:20
we've seen
50:20
again and
50:21
again in
50:21
John's gospel.
50:23
Receipt,
50:24
rejection.
50:26
Now, there
50:26
are some
50:27
whom I
50:27
respect and
50:28
appreciate
50:29
greatly that
50:31
suggest that
50:31
some interpret
50:32
the sound as
50:33
a natural
50:34
phenomenon.
50:35
They just
50:35
hear thunder.
50:37
They hear a
50:37
noise, but
50:38
not the
50:39
father's
50:40
voice.
50:43
Others, then
50:44
it is suggested,
50:44
recognize that
50:45
something supernatural
50:46
may have
50:46
occurred, but
50:47
they do not
50:48
identify the
50:49
full significance
50:50
of the
50:50
father's
50:51
testimony.
50:53
And maybe
50:53
that's what's
50:54
going on
50:54
here.
50:56
This is what
50:57
D.A.
50:57
Carson
50:57
suggests, and
50:59
I will tell
51:00
you right now
51:00
that if I'm
51:01
going to disagree
51:01
with D.A.
51:02
Carson, I'm
51:02
going to
51:02
have a big
51:03
slice of
51:04
humble pie
51:04
with me at
51:06
the same
51:06
time.
51:07
That's what
51:08
I'm about
51:08
to do.
51:09
I'm not
51:10
sure that
51:10
that, in
51:12
this exact
51:12
formulation, is
51:13
what's happening
51:15
here.
51:16
Is there
51:17
varied response?
51:18
Confusion?
51:19
Yeah.
51:20
Lack of
51:20
clarified
51:21
significance?
51:22
Yeah.
51:22
We can see
51:23
that that's
51:23
the case.
51:26
But I
51:26
argue that
51:27
John has
51:28
recorded these
51:28
events in
51:29
this way to
51:30
make a
51:31
really
51:31
significant
51:32
point.
51:35
I have
51:35
yet to
51:36
tell you
51:36
why I
51:37
chose to
51:38
have a
51:38
study
51:38
verses 20
51:39
through 29.
51:41
Your
51:42
subtitling makes
51:43
no sense of
51:43
that, does
51:44
it?
51:45
If you've
51:45
been with
51:46
us in
51:46
our study
51:47
of John,
51:47
you might
51:48
have guessed.
51:49
Yes, this
51:49
passage is
51:50
chiastic.
51:52
Yep.
51:53
It begins
51:54
and ends
51:56
with a
51:56
crowd.
51:58
Begins and
51:58
it ends
51:59
with a
51:59
crowd.
52:00
What is
52:00
John
52:01
doing?
52:03
A little
52:04
while ago,
52:05
TJ led
52:06
us in a
52:06
reading of
52:07
Exodus chapter
52:08
19.
52:08
We encourage
52:09
you to look
52:09
at that
52:10
again.
52:10
You can
52:10
look at it
52:10
in your
52:11
bulletin or
52:12
turn in
52:12
your Bible.
52:13
Start reading
52:13
in verse
52:14
16.
52:16
I want you
52:17
to see the
52:17
words in
52:18
front of
52:18
you, so
52:18
get there
52:19
as I
52:19
read this.
52:21
I'm going
52:22
to read it
52:22
relatively
52:23
quickly and
52:25
I'll point
52:25
out the
52:26
point I
52:26
intend to
52:26
make.
52:26
verse 16,
52:28
Exodus 19.
52:29
On the
52:29
morning of
52:30
the third
52:30
day, there
52:32
were thunders
52:33
and lightnings
52:33
and a thick
52:34
cloud on the
52:34
mountain and
52:35
a very loud
52:35
trumpet blast
52:36
so that all
52:37
the people in
52:37
the camp
52:38
trembled.
52:39
Then Moses
52:40
brought the
52:40
people out
52:40
of the camp
52:41
to meet
52:41
God and
52:42
they took
52:42
their stand
52:43
at the
52:43
foot of
52:43
the mountain.
52:45
Now Mount
52:45
Sinai was
52:46
wrapped in
52:46
smoke because
52:47
the Lord
52:47
had descended
52:47
on it in
52:48
fire.
52:49
Smoke of
52:50
it went
52:50
up like
52:50
the smoke
52:51
of a
52:51
kiln and
52:52
the whole
52:52
mountain
52:52
trembled
52:53
greatly.
52:54
And as
52:54
the sound
52:55
of the
52:55
trumpet grew
52:55
louder and
52:56
louder, Moses
52:56
spoke and
52:57
God answered
52:58
him in
52:58
thunder.
53:00
The Lord
53:00
came down
53:01
on Mount
53:01
Sinai to
53:02
the top
53:02
of the
53:03
mountain.
53:03
And the
53:04
Lord called
53:04
Moses to
53:05
the top
53:05
of the
53:05
mountain.
53:06
And Moses
53:06
went up.
53:07
And the
53:07
Lord said
53:08
to Moses,
53:09
Go down
53:10
and warn
53:10
the people
53:11
lest they
53:11
break through
53:12
to the
53:13
Lord to
53:13
look and
53:14
many of
53:15
them perish.
53:17
Also let
53:17
the priests
53:18
who come
53:18
near to
53:19
the Lord
53:19
consecrate
53:20
themselves
53:20
lest the
53:21
Lord break
53:22
out against
53:23
them.
53:25
And Moses
53:25
said to
53:25
the Lord,
53:25
the people
53:26
cannot come
53:27
up to
53:27
Mount
53:27
Sinai,
53:28
for you
53:28
yourself
53:29
warned us
53:30
saying,
53:30
set limits
53:31
around the
53:31
mountain and
53:32
consecrate it.
53:33
And the
53:34
Lord said to
53:34
him,
53:35
Go down
53:35
and come
53:36
up bringing
53:36
Aaron with
53:37
you,
53:38
but do not
53:38
let the
53:39
priests and
53:39
the people
53:40
break through
53:40
to come up
53:41
to the
53:42
Lord,
53:42
lest he
53:43
break out
53:43
against
53:44
them.
53:45
So Moses
53:45
went down
53:46
to the
53:46
people and
53:48
told them.
53:49
Right?
53:50
So,
53:50
God's
53:51
people,
53:52
a crowd
53:53
of
53:53
Israelites
53:54
are led
53:55
out of
53:56
captivity
53:56
to a
53:57
mountain
53:57
where a
53:58
covenant
53:58
is established.
54:00
Do you
54:01
remember what
54:01
happens just
54:01
before they're
54:02
led out?
54:04
The Passover.
54:06
The killing
54:07
of that lamb
54:07
and the spreading
54:08
of the blood
54:09
over the door
54:10
and the angel
54:10
of death
54:10
passing over
54:11
those homes
54:13
of the
54:14
Israelites.
54:14
And here we
54:15
are at the
54:15
Passover feast.
54:17
It's about to be
54:18
celebrated.
54:18
this covenant
54:21
established in
54:22
Exodus is the
54:24
covenant that we
54:25
regularly call the
54:26
Old Covenant.
54:29
Did you note
54:30
characteristic of
54:32
the giving of
54:33
this covenant
54:33
from the text
54:34
that we just
54:35
read?
54:37
Moses goes
54:38
to meet
54:39
God.
54:41
Takes Aaron
54:42
with him.
54:43
Moses goes up
54:44
the mountain
54:45
but the people
54:46
do not.
54:48
limits are set
54:49
for them.
54:50
They cannot
54:50
go up.
54:51
What will
54:51
happen if
54:52
they go up?
54:53
They will
54:54
perish.
54:57
Amen.
54:59
In our
55:00
text,
55:01
as the
55:02
new covenant
55:03
dawns,
55:04
a crowd
55:05
gathers.
55:07
A crowd
55:08
not just
55:08
Israelites
55:09
but also
55:10
of
55:11
Greeks.
55:13
And what
55:13
do they
55:13
hear?
55:15
They hear
55:16
thunder.
55:17
They hear
55:17
thunder.
55:19
So go
55:19
back to
55:19
our text
55:20
and note
55:22
a characteristic
55:24
found in
55:25
it.
55:26
Now I've
55:26
said to you
55:26
already as
55:27
we talk about
55:28
chiasms,
55:29
there's some
55:29
correspondence
55:30
with the
55:30
beginning,
55:32
verses 20
55:32
and 21,
55:33
and the
55:34
end,
55:34
verse 29,
55:35
there's a
55:35
crowd and
55:35
a crowd.
55:37
The central
55:37
text,
55:38
the chiastic
55:39
center is
55:39
verse 25,
55:40
whoever loses
55:41
his life,
55:42
hates his
55:43
life,
55:44
will keep
55:45
for eternal
55:45
life,
55:46
right?
55:46
This is
55:46
the central
55:47
piece of
55:48
this.
55:48
And on
55:48
either side
55:49
of that,
55:51
you have
55:51
Jesus expressing
55:52
in this
55:52
metaphor his
55:53
death and
55:54
it being
55:54
fruitful.
55:56
And on the
55:56
other side
55:57
of that,
55:57
the promise
55:58
that the
55:59
one who
55:59
serves me
56:00
will follow
56:00
me and
56:00
where I
56:01
am,
56:02
there will
56:03
my servant
56:05
be.
56:07
Presence
56:07
of God,
56:09
Christ with
56:09
us and
56:10
us with
56:11
him.
56:12
God,
56:13
I think
56:14
that's what
56:15
John is
56:15
doing here.
56:17
This record,
56:18
it's a
56:18
historical
56:18
account,
56:19
it happened,
56:20
John's
56:20
recording it
56:20
for us in
56:21
this way,
56:22
that we
56:23
might see
56:24
this dawning,
56:25
this coming
56:25
of the new
56:26
covenant,
56:27
the difference,
56:29
presence with
56:30
God,
56:31
being restored
56:32
to him,
56:33
in relationship
56:33
with him,
56:34
not a distant
56:35
thundering from
56:36
a cloud,
56:37
God,
56:38
but being
56:38
brought into
56:39
his presence.
56:42
Do you
56:43
believe that
56:44
fellowship with
56:45
Jesus Christ
56:46
is more
56:47
valuable than
56:48
anything this
56:50
world can
56:50
offer?
56:52
Jesus does
56:53
not promise
56:54
that following
56:54
him will
56:55
preserve everything
56:56
we presently
56:57
treasure.
56:58
He promises
56:59
something
57:00
infinitely
57:01
greater
57:02
himself.
57:05
He promises
57:06
that his
57:07
servants will
57:08
be with
57:09
him and
57:09
he promises
57:10
that the
57:11
Father will
57:12
honor
57:12
those who
57:13
serve
57:14
his Son.
57:17
We do
57:18
well to
57:18
understand the
57:19
glory of
57:20
God as
57:20
the ultimate
57:21
purpose
57:22
of our
57:23
salvation.
57:25
Jesus
57:26
approached the
57:26
hour of his
57:27
great suffering
57:28
with a supreme
57:29
concern for
57:30
the glory of
57:31
his Father.
57:32
You exist
57:33
for the glory
57:33
of God.
57:34
We, the
57:35
church, exist
57:36
for the glory
57:37
of God among
57:38
the peoples
57:39
of the world.
57:41
God is
57:43
our God.
57:46
We know
57:47
him.
57:47
We're in
57:47
relationship
57:48
with him.
57:50
And it's a
57:50
task given to
57:51
us to tell
57:52
all peoples
57:54
of his glory.
57:56
Let's pray.