Transcript

Glory In Death

John 12:27-36
Sunday, September 14, 2003
Pastor Randy Smith

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Last week we discussed the difference between loving our life and hating our life, or living for Christ and living for ourselves, or selflessness and selfishness. Charles Ross Weed captured these competing themes by comparing possibly two of the most famous men who have ever lived, Jesus Christ and Alexander the Great.

Jesus and Alexander died at thirty-three,
One died in Babylon and one on Calvary.
One gained all for self, and one himself he gave.
One conquered every throne, the other every grave.
When died the Greek, forever fell his throne of swords,
But Jesus died to live forever Lord of lords.
Jesus and Alexander died at thirty-three.
The Greek made all men slaves, the Jew made all men free.
One built a throne on blood, the other built on love.
The one was born of earth, the other from above.
One won all this earth to lose all earth and Heaven.
The other gave up all that all to him be given.
The Greek forever died, the Jew forever lives.
He loses all who gets and wins all things who gives.

This paradox of giving to get was clearly demonstrated last week. We learned that the one who seeks to save his life will lose it, but the one who loses his life for Christ's sake will save it. True eternal life will only be found when we give ourselves wholly to the lordship of Christ. God has presented the world only two options. Live for yourself and love yourself right to hell, or live for Christ and experience meaning, satisfaction, joy, peace and heaven. True "self-love" chooses the latter and embraces selflessness. True "self-hate" chooses the former and embraces selfishness. There is no doubt a glory for "self" in the death to self.

You will also remember that this teaching is based on a larger principle which emulates the pattern of Jesus Christ. For the eternal Son became a man and died on the cross. He gave Himself fully in the most sacrificial way so that we might have life in Him. He selflessly gave His life for us. Now He expects us to reciprocate by giving our life to Him. Christ was glorified in His death and His death brought "many sons to glory" (Heb. 2:10). There is also no doubt a glory in the death of Christ.

In verses 27 to 36 of chapter 12, John extends His discussion regarding Christ's death and provides us with four truths pertaining to the glorious event. Our objective this morning is to be shown by the Holy Spirit the glory that results from His death - both for Christ and for us.

1. CARRIAGE TOWARD HIS DEATH (12:27-30)

First is Christ's attitude toward His death. As soon as the words fell off Christ's lips regarding the arrival of "the hour," the prediction of His upcoming crucifixion, Jesus said in verse 27, "Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour?' But for this purpose I came to this hour."

When we read this text we must remember that Jesus was fully God and also fully man. Being God He was aware of the shame, mockery, humiliation and suffering, which awaited Him in just days when He would be hung on the cross, the Roman instrument of torture. But more painfully, He knew that for the first time in eternity, His intimate relationship with the Father would be breached. The Holy Father would forsake the Son when the Son would bear the sins of the world. Therefore, being human, the thought of these events naturally brought excruciating agony and grief. Jesus said His soul becameisHiss "troubled" (tarasso), a strong verb signifying revulsion, horror, anxiety or agitation.

When we think of the inner struggle that Jesus faced prior to the cross, we often recall His experience at the Garden of Gethsemane. John does not include this event in his gospel, but his inclusion of verse 27 teaches us that Jesus' final week was one of continual inner turmoil as He contemplated the cross. As a matter of fact, verse 27, (although a different experience) parallels the Gethsemane account. Here Jesus said, "Now My soul has become troubled." In Gethsemane He said, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death" (Mt. 26:38). Here Jesus prayed, "Father, save Me from this hour" (taken as a prayer not a question). In Gethsemane He prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me" (Mt. 26:39). Here Jesus concluded, "But for this purpose I came to this hour." In Gethsemane He concluded, "Yet not as I will, but as You will" (Mt. 26:39).

Like any of us who would have been in His place, Jesus was deeply troubled as He contemplated the cross. Luke 22:44 says, "and being in agony He was praying very fervently; His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground." He could visualize the horror of hell that He was about to experience. Every inclination of His humanity sought to circumvent the cross. He prayed to be delivered from the hour of suffering and the cup of wrath as He opened His heart to the Father who always hears His prayers. But as the Father always hears the Son (Jn. 11:42), the Son always obeys the Father (Jn. 8:29). Since He knew His ultimate mission was to die on the cross, He had come for this hour, Jesus concluded, "Yet not as I will, but as You will" (Mt. 26:39).

What an example of selfless submission to the Father's will! What a model of dying to self and living for God! Jesus was not consumed with other's opinions. He was not even consumed with protecting His own life. His ambition was to make it His ultimate goal to pursue the Father's will. Even in the face of a gruesome death, Jesus did not forsake His drive to obey.

What motivated Jesus to this radical God-honoring pursuit? What did He wish to accomplish by seeing the Father's will fulfilled? What was Christ's greatest reward? Look at verse 28. Jesus said, "Father, glorify Your name." Jesus clearly understood this cause and effect relationship. Jesus receives the fulness of joy when the Father is glorified, and the Father is most glorified when His will is accomplished. Therefore, Jesus set His face like flint to do the will of the Father.

Now we know that everything God does is to preserve and display His glory. Anything less would make Him unrighteous. Therefore, He takes His greatest delight in those who do His will by reflecting His glory and displaying it to a lost world. Is there any wonder then why the Father took infinite pleasure in the Son who always did His will (Jn. 8:29) and was the perfect reflection of His glory (2 Cor. 4:4; Heb. 1:3)? Is there any wonder why the Father audibly proclaimed after Christ's baptism, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased" (Mt. 3:17)? Verse 28 is similar. Jesus said, "Father, glorify Your name." Again "a voice came out of heaven: 'I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.'" The Son wanted the Father to be glorified and the Father gave His stamp of approval that the Son was on the right track. This was a spine-tingling "Amen" from the Father. He had been glorifying His name through the ministry of Christ and now will greatly glorify His name through the submissive death of Christ and His subsequent exaltation.

Christ desired to follow the will of the Father at all costs. He died to self and found His greatest joy in seeing the Father glorified. And because of such a passion to honor the Father, the Father takes great delight in the Son. Does this resemble your relationship with God? Is the glory of God the utmost goal in your affections? Does anything bring you greater joy? Does His will take precedence over your will? Are you dying to self whereby your might live for Him? Do you seek after human praise or God's praise? Are you esteeming God or are you esteeming yourself?

I'll never forget that sign I saw in New Orleans Marti Gras in 1985. It burned an image in my mind as an unbeliever. It said, "Are you really living for Jesus?" Are you really living for Jesus?

I don't know how you will respond, but I can tell you how the crowd responded. According to verse 29, some in the crowd that heard God's audible voice said it was thunder. They knew something cataclysmic occurred, but they refused to acknowledge a supernatural intervention. This is similar to those who ascribe the workings of God to "Mother Nature." Others wrongly attributed the voice of God to an angel.

Yet "Jesus answered (in verse 30) and said, 'This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes.'" Whether the crowd could understand the words or not, I believe the purpose of the voice was to validate the ministry of Jesus. It was the Father's way of confirming the teaching of Christ, the incarnate Word of God. The Scriptures declare, "In these last days (He) has spoken to us in His Son" (Heb. 1:1-2). You will recall another time when an audible came out of the heavens during the Transfiguration. God said, "This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!" (Mk. 9:7).

Christ agonized over His death, but more than anything else, His greater agony was failing to do the will of God. The Father delighted in the Son. The Father spoke through the Son. And the Father, due to Christ's obedience, glorified Himself in the Son, especially in His willingness to lay down His life at the cross.

2. CONSEQUENCES OF HIS DEATH (12:31-33)

In verses 31 and 32 Jesus will spell out the results of His death and how those results will glorify the Father. The cross would be the decisive moment in history. We date our calendars by it. Eternal events would be established that would forever change the course of this world.

On a much smaller scale, a decisive date in my life was June 15, 1996. For the better (and not for the worse!) my life has never been the same. On that day I gained a new roommate that would always be with me as long as we have breath. On that day I was given the opportunity to raise three beautiful children. On that day I would begin the journey of forever drawing closer to my best friend.

Yet on a much grander scale the same could be said about one day early in the first century, the day that Jesus died on the cross. From that day forward, the world would never be the same. Verse 31 teaches that the cross "now" brought "judgment upon this world." Every human being is forever forced to make a decision. Will I embrace the cross and save my life or will I forsake the cross and lose my life? Yes, there will be a final day of judgment, but even now the cross judges those who reject God's offer of eternal life. John 3:18 declares, "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Verse 31 also teaches that the cross "now" casts out "the ruler of this world." The cross was the final deathblow to Satan. Yes, the Devil is still a roaring lion, but he is on a short leash. He has been defeated and ultimately one day he will be abolished. Though Satan seeks to destroy God's children, we are guaranteed victory because of the cross. Revelation 12 speaks of those who receive Satan's all-out assault during the Great Tribulation. Verse 11 says, "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb."

Thirdly, in verse 32 Jesus said, "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." We have already learned (Jn. 3:14; 8:28) that "lifting up" Jesus meant both His exaltation and also the method of His death (Isa. 52:13; Phil. 2:8-9; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:3). Verse 33 makes the latter clear. "But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die." Christ's death on the cross, maybe most significantly, gave Him the opportunity to grant salvation to a fallen race. Atonement for sin and propitiation of God's wrath have been accomplished. Sinners can now be forgiven because of Christ's substitutionary death. Since the enmity between God and man has been removed, both the Father (Jn. 6:44) and the Son (Jn. 12:32) will selectively draw some to salvation.

Though verse 32 says that "all men" will be drawn, this does not imply that God draws all people to Himself. We have learned from this gospel that most reject salvation which would therefore make God's grace resistible. Hence "all men" means all kinds of men. Jews and Gentiles alike will be recipients of this special favor.

The cross was a decisive moment in history. The world thought they were passing judgment on Christ, when in reality He was passing judgment on them. Satan thought the cross was his victory, when in reality the cross was his defeat. The death of Jesus seemed like the tragic end to His ministry, when in reality it purchased salvation for millions of His children.

3. CONFUSION OVER HIS DEATH (12:34)

You will remember (as we move to the third point) that the crowd hailed Jesus as their King just a couple days earlier. But after His comment in verse 32 indicating His need to be crucified, opinions about their Messiah began to change. Although the Old Testament prophesized about a suffering Messiah (Psm. 22; Isa. 53; Zech. 13) as well as a triumphant Messiah (Isa. 9:7; Psm. 72:17; Eze. 37:25), the Jews accepted the latter, but failed to accept the former. The description of a crucified Messiah did not square with what they had expected. It did not jive with what they had been taught. The crowd began to realize that Jesus was not the man they thought He was and definitely not the man they desired.

In verse 34 they set themselves in contrast to Christ. "The crowd then answered Him, 'We have heard out of the Law that the Christ (The Messiah) is to remain forever; and how can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?'" The crowd was forced to make a choice. Would they follow the teaching of their religious leaders or would they follow the teaching of Jesus Christ? We know their response. In days they would lift Him up on the cross and fulfill His prophetic words.

The same is true today. Many have been deceived by religious leaders who fail to instruct from the Scriptures. Others have been deceived by secular authorities or common everyday individuals who are often unknowing "false teachers" themselves. Proof that Satan has continued to present a distorted view of Jesus Christ through his followers. Most have bought his lies. Most have listened to his teaching. Most have followed their defeated leaders. Most have rejected Christ.

I can remember my neighbor a few weeks ago who thought about coming to church, but declined because she felt it would "waste the majority of her day." Deception! This is the highlight of our week! I can also remember a former student of mine who proudly paraded the school halls with a "666" T-shirt. He even acknowledged that the number of the Beast was from the Bible. He believed the Bible for the number (Rev. 13:18), but failed to believe the Bible for what it teaches about Satan and his followers being forever cast into the Lake of Fire (Mt. 25:41).

Likewise, there is much deception specifically regarding the cross. Many have "heard" and believed these following lies. I trust they will sound familiar. "The cross spelled the defeat of Christ." "The cross provided one of many ways to God." "The cross is only an example of sacrificial living." "Salvation can be achieved apart from the cross."

Do not be deceived! Jesus has made it abundantly clear in this gospel alone. Apart from the cross there is no forgiveness for our sins. And where there is no forgiveness there is no salvation, period! Is there any wonder that the cross has become the symbol of our faith? Should we be surprised when the Apostle Paul exclaimed, "But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Gal. 6:14)?

4. COMMITMENT UNDERSTANDING HIS DEATH (12:35-36)

Finally, when God draws us to Himself and enables us to rightly understand the work on the cross, we will with great joy and eagerness place our faith in Christ. This was Jesus' exhortation as He concluded this section. Beginning in verse 35. "So Jesus said to them, 'For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light'" (Jn. 12:35-36).

The black and white conclusion is this: Jesus or Satan? Light or darkness? Bible instruction or worldly instruction? Heaven or hell? You must choose between the two because as Jesus indicated, the window of opportunity is decreasing. It could be shut much sooner than you think! Maybe God is drawing you this morning. Maybe today is the day of salvation for you?

Now I know most of you have placed your faith in Christ. As you know the result of that faith is the fruit God bears in your life. Last week I had a friend by the name of Ed Moore visit our church. Ed is currently a pastor in Queens with over 20 years of ministry experience. And beloved I want to encourage you with his comments that brought tears to my eyes. He was absolutely floored by the friendliness and hospitality of the people, the excellence and passion of worship, the commitment to service, the maturity in the Sunday school answers and the seriousness with which this church takes their faith. He said that there was no doubt in his mind that the Spirit of the living God is moving mightily amongst this flock. Time permits me from citing numerous examples from church attendance to individual repentance to personal growth to financial givings to new converts to service to evangelism that support Pastor Moore's comments. But let me say this, God is truly bearing fruit for His glory.

Beloved, there is much to be encouraged about! I hope nothing excites you more than to see the hand of God conforming this church to His image and using this church for His glory. But it all begins with Jesus! It begins with His willingness to submit to the will of the Father. Because He was lifted up on the cross, we now have eternal life in Him. We now have the opportunity to emulate Christ by dying to self and living for the glory of God as our utmost desire.