Tonight We are going to start something a bit different. We are going to begin our Study of the Book of John. I believe this book was written to outline the examples Jesus Christ was and is the way to everlasting life, the only way. This book highlights Jesus as a diety and the manifestation of God. Tonight I wanted to begin in Chapter 12 and we will work throughout the rest of the book. I am doing this because this was six days before the Passover when Jesus came to Bethany and stayed in the home of Lazarus. You will remember if you studied the earlier Chapter, Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the grave, signifying his power over death itself and that the beliefs of the Saducees that there is no resurrection, had been falsified. In the beginning of Chapter 12 we have Jesus eating supper with Mary, and Lazarus, along with his disciples. It was here that Mary took the exspensive oil of Spikenard(the cost of a man's yearly wages) and began applying it to Jesus's feet and head. This is important because to annoint his feet was a sign of devotion, we must all be willing to devote ourselves to one another, but especially to the Lord Jesus, being a servant to his will. During the time of Mary, to annoint a guest's head with oil was common, it was a sign of respect, but also a sign of kingship, as King David was annointed by the prophet Samuel. We must also point out here whether she realized it or not, annointing the body with oil was the first step in embalming. Jesus recognized this when he prevented Judas Iscariot from stopping her procedure, saying;
"Let her alone, she has kept this for this day of my burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."
He knew his death would come within the week, and Judas knew that this Money would have gone in the moneybox he guarded and had previsouly stole from for his own gain. It says that the fragrance of the oil filled the house. So we must keep the sweet smell of the Lord's blessing filling our own homes.
Moving on we see many of the jews coming to see Lazarus who had been raised from the dead. The chapter teaches that God used Lazarus as a tool to bring believers to him. However the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death. Why? 2 main reasons:
1. He was a symbol that the resurrection was indeed possible
2.He brought followers to Christ and away from their false teachings
You see when the world sees it's supporters turning from it's wickedness and turning to Christ, it too seeks to destroy us. Man cannot serve God and Mammon
We move to the setting of the next day. What is referred to as "The Triumphal Entry".
Jesus up until now in the Book of John had kept himself withdrawn from public support from the people. However realizing the hour had come that the Son of Man should be glorified, he allowed public enthusiasm. He entered Jerusalem on the back of a young donkey which fulfilled the acto f prophecy foretold by the Prophet Zechariah in Zech Chapter 9:9. Meek and Lowly he would enter the city while people shouted "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" The King of Israel. A foreshadow and a clear proclamation that Jesus is the Messiah. The strange thing is that not even Jesus's own disciples understood the meaning of this symbolic act until after Jesus had ascended into Heaven. It was during this entry that a group of Gentiles, Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to worship at the Passover feast, came to Philip and Andrew wanting to meet Jesus. What did Jesus Say to them in versus 23-26?
He proclaimed his own death and gave the reason why he had to suffer and die on the cross.
"The Hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves life shall lose it, he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let his follow me, that where I am, my servant shall be also. If anyone serves me,him my father will honor."
What he was telling his disciples Andrew and Philip was that he had to die but like a grain of wheat which rises from the field, so would he rise and from his death others would find everlasting life. Also he was telling them his time had come and to be ready. He was also telling us here in these versus that those who serve only themselves, are selfish, refusing to follow his directives, they would lose the gift of eternal life. However those who set themselves on self sacrifice, loving others first, abiding in his word, and not placing their desires on the this world, would find eternal life. To be a servant of the Lord is to find peace, and to develop a close and personal relationship with the Lord, that is why he said that "where I am there my servant shall be also." It is a 2 step process. Follow him, trusting in his word and directives, and Serve him.. Then the Father will honor you. To be honored by God will be a truly wonderful and unimaginable thing to behold. But this precept has a precurser. To serve him, one must be willing to not set his mind on the things of this world as verse 26 says, we must be willing to abide in his word, then we can truly become disciples of the Lord and true Bond servants. We must be willing to commit ourselves fully to the Lord and setting the right priorities which follows his word and not to this world and it's temptations.
When we move into verse 27 we see something that for many is unthinkable. Here we have Jesus in true agony,, before the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane later in his book. Jesus is praying to God for him to "Glorify you name", it says his soul is troubled over the impending suffering and death that would be but a few days away. We see Jesus say "Now my soul is troubled and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour? Bit for this purpose I came to this hour. Father glorify Your Name."
What is he saying here? For those who think Jesus never doubted, or Jesus never felt agony as we have from time to time, here is written proof otherwise. Back in Chapter 2 Jesus could have easily followed Lucifer's temptations and thrown off this suffering and just took the prize, leaving all of us to fend for ourselves, lost in death and eternal sin. However here Jesus answers his own question. What shall I say? Father Save me? No, I came here for this purpose, I will follow through with it until the end no matter the pain, the suffering, the torment or the shame.So he finishes with "Father glorify Your name." To defeat sin, and to die would be the ultimate glorification of God's purpose.
Then we read on at the end of verse 28 that God answers him.
"I have both glorified it and will glorify it again." People standing around said it sounded like thunder rolling. Others said an angel had spoken. We know that this was the voice of God speaking to the son, comforting him and assuring him. He spoke of the glory upon the cross, and the glory that will come again when the Son of Man returns for his believers.
Jesus says to the people who heard the voice of God.
"This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. Now is Judgment of this world, now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw, all peoples to myself."
Here praise the Lord, the devil would be defeated, Judgement day would come, the debt called and the savior's blood on the cross would be the payment for all. Matthew spoke to Jesus as a servant himself, saying "I did not come into this world to be served, but to serve and to give my blood, a ransom for many."
The Lord would be glorified for the sins of all of us.
Still the people it says misinterpreted his teachings, for they felt "lifted up" meant removal from the earth by death and they argued that scripture teaches that the Messiah would abide forever. To them the Messiah would not have to die, they just didn't understand that he would be raised again on the 3rd day. Jesus understood their confusion and disbelief. He knew their thoughts and their doubts. So instead of answering the people's questions, instead he gives them a warning.
"A little while longer the light is with you, walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. He who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light that you may become sons of light."
What does he mean? Jesus teaches us that to walk in sin(darkness) leads us to confusion, unrest, doubting, frustration, crime, hate, adultry,malice, bitterness, and most of all a life of downward spirals that leads to misery and eternal death. He knew that while he was there, he could still offer them a chance to return to him, believe in him, regain their lost status with God that the children of Israel had aquired. He urged them to walk in his light, and get back on the right path where light could guide them the right direction which led to everlasting life with him. God is broken hearted when we turn from his pathway and chose our own dimly lit road. Often we take roads where there is light lift by others, which only flicker out, or we find the oil isn't sufficient to complete the journey and we end up in total darkness. Ever been on that road? I have. and I tell you being stranded on a dark road without a road map is quite scary. As you know the children of Israel would eventually face judgement because of their rejection of Christ, and in 70AD be completely destroyed by Rome. Jesus warned them here in these versus that time is short, but there was still a light that they could follow. Then we conclude with versus 42-50 which speaks of so many of the rulers of Israel had by this time come to believe on the surface in Jesus, many of the Pharisees and members of the Jewish council, had secretly agreed that Jesus was the Christ, however because of their pride and fear they refused to openly reveal it. Many claimed that their faith was not genuine to appease the Sanhedrine, the text however says "they believed in Him, a cojnnstruction in Greek wording that typically indicated Saving faith. However, the word following, "Nevertheless, marks a stark contrast between these believers and the unbelief spoken of in versus 37-41. These men were genuine believers , however their problem was like so many today in our world, they feared the opinions of their fellow leaders and constiuents. These such people will be ashamed when they face Christ on the day of return. The final versus I feel are the strongest wording of this chapter.
Here Jesus,sensing this hidden hypocracy, says to them, all of the people there.
"He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me, sees Him who sent Me.'
He is proclaming here that he is God! He is the fleshly manifestation of God. Anyone who believes in Him believes also in God the Father. One and the same.
He continues saying,
"I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness."
If you believe and hold his word in your heart, you will never be lost, or alone, never tossed along a darkened road but instead led on a brightly lit path which leads to hope, faith and everlasting life.
Then comes another warning. He says,
"And if anyone hears my words and does not believe, I do not judge you, for I did not come into the world to Judge it, but to save it."
Here is is saying now I do not judge you, I am offering you a chance here, now, before it is too late to save you, all you have to do is believe. But folks in his second coming, that will be another story, he will be coming as a lion it says and he will be judge and jury. Then your apologies will be too late.
Then he gives his reasoning.
"He who rejects Me and does not receive my word that I have spoken on him, has that which judges him, the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day."
On the last day when we stand before Christ it will look like a large movie screen, before us our lives, our excuses, our sin, right there in front of us for all to see. Then Christ will look at you and say, I gave all, what did you give? Can you say, I gave myself to you? Or will you say, I gave to myself and rejected you?
Your choice. No one will ever force you to believe in the Lord and abide in his word, it is as simple as death itself. We will all die one day, all of us will face judgement, your choice.
Then he concludes with who gave this order.
"For I have not spoken on My own authority, but the Father who sent ME, who gave Me a command, what I should said and speak, and I know that his command is everlasting lie, therefore I speak ust as my Father told me to speak."
A command is not a request. God wants all of us to join him, however it will be his last word we hear before either separation and damnation or everlasting people and a relationship with him. Your choice.
I hope this study tonight helped you in finding a closer walk with the Lord. We all want you to find him and develop with him. We will continue our study of the Book of John tomorrow God bless and goodnight
"Let her alone, she has kept this for this day of my burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."
He knew his death would come within the week, and Judas knew that this Money would have gone in the moneybox he guarded and had previsouly stole from for his own gain. It says that the fragrance of the oil filled the house. So we must keep the sweet smell of the Lord's blessing filling our own homes.
Moving on we see many of the jews coming to see Lazarus who had been raised from the dead. The chapter teaches that God used Lazarus as a tool to bring believers to him. However the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death. Why? 2 main reasons:
1. He was a symbol that the resurrection was indeed possible
2.He brought followers to Christ and away from their false teachings
You see when the world sees it's supporters turning from it's wickedness and turning to Christ, it too seeks to destroy us. Man cannot serve God and Mammon
We move to the setting of the next day. What is referred to as "The Triumphal Entry".
Jesus up until now in the Book of John had kept himself withdrawn from public support from the people. However realizing the hour had come that the Son of Man should be glorified, he allowed public enthusiasm. He entered Jerusalem on the back of a young donkey which fulfilled the acto f prophecy foretold by the Prophet Zechariah in Zech Chapter 9:9. Meek and Lowly he would enter the city while people shouted "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" The King of Israel. A foreshadow and a clear proclamation that Jesus is the Messiah. The strange thing is that not even Jesus's own disciples understood the meaning of this symbolic act until after Jesus had ascended into Heaven. It was during this entry that a group of Gentiles, Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to worship at the Passover feast, came to Philip and Andrew wanting to meet Jesus. What did Jesus Say to them in versus 23-26?
He proclaimed his own death and gave the reason why he had to suffer and die on the cross.
"The Hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves life shall lose it, he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let his follow me, that where I am, my servant shall be also. If anyone serves me,him my father will honor."
What he was telling his disciples Andrew and Philip was that he had to die but like a grain of wheat which rises from the field, so would he rise and from his death others would find everlasting life. Also he was telling them his time had come and to be ready. He was also telling us here in these versus that those who serve only themselves, are selfish, refusing to follow his directives, they would lose the gift of eternal life. However those who set themselves on self sacrifice, loving others first, abiding in his word, and not placing their desires on the this world, would find eternal life. To be a servant of the Lord is to find peace, and to develop a close and personal relationship with the Lord, that is why he said that "where I am there my servant shall be also." It is a 2 step process. Follow him, trusting in his word and directives, and Serve him.. Then the Father will honor you. To be honored by God will be a truly wonderful and unimaginable thing to behold. But this precept has a precurser. To serve him, one must be willing to not set his mind on the things of this world as verse 26 says, we must be willing to abide in his word, then we can truly become disciples of the Lord and true Bond servants. We must be willing to commit ourselves fully to the Lord and setting the right priorities which follows his word and not to this world and it's temptations.
When we move into verse 27 we see something that for many is unthinkable. Here we have Jesus in true agony,, before the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane later in his book. Jesus is praying to God for him to "Glorify you name", it says his soul is troubled over the impending suffering and death that would be but a few days away. We see Jesus say "Now my soul is troubled and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour? Bit for this purpose I came to this hour. Father glorify Your Name."
What is he saying here? For those who think Jesus never doubted, or Jesus never felt agony as we have from time to time, here is written proof otherwise. Back in Chapter 2 Jesus could have easily followed Lucifer's temptations and thrown off this suffering and just took the prize, leaving all of us to fend for ourselves, lost in death and eternal sin. However here Jesus answers his own question. What shall I say? Father Save me? No, I came here for this purpose, I will follow through with it until the end no matter the pain, the suffering, the torment or the shame.So he finishes with "Father glorify Your name." To defeat sin, and to die would be the ultimate glorification of God's purpose.
Then we read on at the end of verse 28 that God answers him.
"I have both glorified it and will glorify it again." People standing around said it sounded like thunder rolling. Others said an angel had spoken. We know that this was the voice of God speaking to the son, comforting him and assuring him. He spoke of the glory upon the cross, and the glory that will come again when the Son of Man returns for his believers.
Jesus says to the people who heard the voice of God.
"This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. Now is Judgment of this world, now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw, all peoples to myself."
Here praise the Lord, the devil would be defeated, Judgement day would come, the debt called and the savior's blood on the cross would be the payment for all. Matthew spoke to Jesus as a servant himself, saying "I did not come into this world to be served, but to serve and to give my blood, a ransom for many."
The Lord would be glorified for the sins of all of us.
Still the people it says misinterpreted his teachings, for they felt "lifted up" meant removal from the earth by death and they argued that scripture teaches that the Messiah would abide forever. To them the Messiah would not have to die, they just didn't understand that he would be raised again on the 3rd day. Jesus understood their confusion and disbelief. He knew their thoughts and their doubts. So instead of answering the people's questions, instead he gives them a warning.
"A little while longer the light is with you, walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. He who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light that you may become sons of light."
What does he mean? Jesus teaches us that to walk in sin(darkness) leads us to confusion, unrest, doubting, frustration, crime, hate, adultry,malice, bitterness, and most of all a life of downward spirals that leads to misery and eternal death. He knew that while he was there, he could still offer them a chance to return to him, believe in him, regain their lost status with God that the children of Israel had aquired. He urged them to walk in his light, and get back on the right path where light could guide them the right direction which led to everlasting life with him. God is broken hearted when we turn from his pathway and chose our own dimly lit road. Often we take roads where there is light lift by others, which only flicker out, or we find the oil isn't sufficient to complete the journey and we end up in total darkness. Ever been on that road? I have. and I tell you being stranded on a dark road without a road map is quite scary. As you know the children of Israel would eventually face judgement because of their rejection of Christ, and in 70AD be completely destroyed by Rome. Jesus warned them here in these versus that time is short, but there was still a light that they could follow. Then we conclude with versus 42-50 which speaks of so many of the rulers of Israel had by this time come to believe on the surface in Jesus, many of the Pharisees and members of the Jewish council, had secretly agreed that Jesus was the Christ, however because of their pride and fear they refused to openly reveal it. Many claimed that their faith was not genuine to appease the Sanhedrine, the text however says "they believed in Him, a cojnnstruction in Greek wording that typically indicated Saving faith. However, the word following, "Nevertheless, marks a stark contrast between these believers and the unbelief spoken of in versus 37-41. These men were genuine believers , however their problem was like so many today in our world, they feared the opinions of their fellow leaders and constiuents. These such people will be ashamed when they face Christ on the day of return. The final versus I feel are the strongest wording of this chapter.
Here Jesus,sensing this hidden hypocracy, says to them, all of the people there.
"He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me, sees Him who sent Me.'
He is proclaming here that he is God! He is the fleshly manifestation of God. Anyone who believes in Him believes also in God the Father. One and the same.
He continues saying,
"I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness."
If you believe and hold his word in your heart, you will never be lost, or alone, never tossed along a darkened road but instead led on a brightly lit path which leads to hope, faith and everlasting life.
Then comes another warning. He says,
"And if anyone hears my words and does not believe, I do not judge you, for I did not come into the world to Judge it, but to save it."
Here is is saying now I do not judge you, I am offering you a chance here, now, before it is too late to save you, all you have to do is believe. But folks in his second coming, that will be another story, he will be coming as a lion it says and he will be judge and jury. Then your apologies will be too late.
Then he gives his reasoning.
"He who rejects Me and does not receive my word that I have spoken on him, has that which judges him, the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day."
On the last day when we stand before Christ it will look like a large movie screen, before us our lives, our excuses, our sin, right there in front of us for all to see. Then Christ will look at you and say, I gave all, what did you give? Can you say, I gave myself to you? Or will you say, I gave to myself and rejected you?
Your choice. No one will ever force you to believe in the Lord and abide in his word, it is as simple as death itself. We will all die one day, all of us will face judgement, your choice.
Then he concludes with who gave this order.
"For I have not spoken on My own authority, but the Father who sent ME, who gave Me a command, what I should said and speak, and I know that his command is everlasting lie, therefore I speak ust as my Father told me to speak."
A command is not a request. God wants all of us to join him, however it will be his last word we hear before either separation and damnation or everlasting people and a relationship with him. Your choice.
I hope this study tonight helped you in finding a closer walk with the Lord. We all want you to find him and develop with him. We will continue our study of the Book of John tomorrow God bless and goodnight
