WEBVTT 00:00:00.939 --> 00:00:03.779 And we open our Bibles together today to the 00:00:03.779 --> 00:00:08.539 Gospel of John. We'll begin in chapter 1 and 00:00:08.539 --> 00:00:14.560 then move on to chapter 12. When you get a new 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:18.339 appliance or a tool perhaps, are you the kind 00:00:18.339 --> 00:00:22.199 of person who reads the instructions before you 00:00:22.199 --> 00:00:25.960 use it? Or do you put them away until you get 00:00:25.960 --> 00:00:30.000 into trouble? That tells something about you, 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:34.740 you know. I well remember the days when I stayed 00:00:34.740 --> 00:00:37.600 up half the night, Christmas Eve, putting toys 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:42.079 together. I prided myself in doing that without 00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:46.140 looking at the instructions first. After all, 00:00:46.179 --> 00:00:50.759 isn't that the test of real manhood? And usually 00:00:50.759 --> 00:00:55.119 I learned about two hours into the process that 00:00:55.119 --> 00:01:01.380 I needed a little help. I remember when a bicycle 00:01:01.380 --> 00:01:03.859 I put together looks something like Ezekiel's 00:01:03.859 --> 00:01:06.920 vision of a wheel within a wheel. And I learned 00:01:06.920 --> 00:01:08.939 how important it is to look at the instructions 00:01:08.939 --> 00:01:15.659 along the way. The Bible is also an instruction 00:01:15.659 --> 00:01:20.019 book for human life. God has given it to us so 00:01:20.019 --> 00:01:24.260 that we might discover the meaning of life and 00:01:24.260 --> 00:01:29.159 come to a personal relationship with Him. So 00:01:29.159 --> 00:01:31.900 that we might know him as fully as possible, 00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:36.900 he took an extraordinary step. He came into this 00:01:36.900 --> 00:01:41.719 world, this world of humanity, becoming a man 00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:47.159 himself, and lived among us. That's what we celebrate 00:01:47.159 --> 00:01:50.900 this Christmas season. John, in his writing of 00:01:50.900 --> 00:01:55.099 Jesus' life, his gospel, does not give to us 00:01:55.099 --> 00:01:58.500 the Christmas narrative. He strips away the narrative, 00:01:59.260 --> 00:02:02.819 but provides for us the substance of what happened 00:02:02.819 --> 00:02:07.219 when God the Son came. We've looked at verses 00:02:07.219 --> 00:02:10.120 one through three on previous occasions. Let's 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:14.159 begin in verse four. You will notice the positive, 00:02:14.599 --> 00:02:22.300 expectant tone that suddenly turns. In him was 00:02:22.300 --> 00:02:26.280 life, and that life was the light of men. The 00:02:26.280 --> 00:02:30.840 light shines in the darkness. Now notice how 00:02:30.840 --> 00:02:35.000 it turns. And the darkness has not understood 00:02:35.000 --> 00:02:40.479 it, or perhaps better, has not overcome it. Although 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:43.699 it begins with a positive tone, there is a negative 00:02:43.699 --> 00:02:46.259 word that is inserted, at least an implication, 00:02:46.979 --> 00:02:50.819 in the word overcome. There is a struggle that 00:02:50.819 --> 00:02:54.680 is implied when the light shone in the darkness. 00:02:57.069 --> 00:03:01.550 But victory had been achieved. He goes on in 00:03:01.550 --> 00:03:04.129 verse 9 to say something very positive. He says, 00:03:04.310 --> 00:03:07.750 the true light that gives light to every man 00:03:07.750 --> 00:03:10.569 was coming into the world. He was in the world. 00:03:11.569 --> 00:03:14.650 And though the world was made through him, the 00:03:14.650 --> 00:03:18.349 world did not recognize him. Notice again the 00:03:18.349 --> 00:03:21.969 positive immediately followed by a turn in the 00:03:21.969 --> 00:03:25.580 tone to the negative. God was in the world and 00:03:25.580 --> 00:03:29.699 the world was made by him, but the world did 00:03:29.699 --> 00:03:37.699 not recognize him. He came to his own, but his 00:03:37.699 --> 00:03:42.259 own did not receive him. Yet to all who received 00:03:42.259 --> 00:03:45.680 him, to those who believed in his name, he gave 00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:48.060 the right to become children of God, children 00:03:48.060 --> 00:03:50.919 not born of natural descent or of human decision 00:03:50.919 --> 00:03:58.310 or husband's will, but born of God. These themes, 00:03:59.750 --> 00:04:02.169 the theme of the sun coming and what a positive 00:04:02.169 --> 00:04:05.750 thing that is, and then the turning of the tone 00:04:05.750 --> 00:04:10.129 to his rejection, these themes are fleshed out 00:04:10.129 --> 00:04:15.090 in the Gospel of John. Ultimately, Jesus' ministry 00:04:15.090 --> 00:04:19.930 leads him to the cross where he died. The climax 00:04:19.930 --> 00:04:24.560 of the end. The turning of the gospel of John 00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:28.060 from Jesus presenting himself To the time of 00:04:28.060 --> 00:04:30.899 his death really begins in earnest in chapter 00:04:30.899 --> 00:04:33.839 12 And that's where we're going to turn today 00:04:33.839 --> 00:04:37.740 as we think about the glory of Christ's sacrifice 00:04:37.740 --> 00:04:49.160 John chapter 12 Verse 23 Jesus replied the hour 00:04:49.160 --> 00:04:53.490 has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 00:04:54.449 --> 00:04:56.610 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat 00:04:56.610 --> 00:05:00.670 falls to the ground and dies, it remains only 00:05:00.670 --> 00:05:03.370 a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many 00:05:03.370 --> 00:05:07.430 seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, 00:05:07.529 --> 00:05:10.470 while the man who hates his life in this world 00:05:10.470 --> 00:05:14.709 will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves 00:05:14.709 --> 00:05:17.430 me must follow me, and where I am, my servant 00:05:17.430 --> 00:05:21.110 also will be. My father will honor the one who 00:05:21.110 --> 00:05:25.750 serves me. Now my heart is troubled, and what 00:05:25.750 --> 00:05:29.350 shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? 00:05:29.970 --> 00:05:33.990 No. It was for this very reason I came to this 00:05:33.990 --> 00:05:38.129 hour. Father, glorify your name, that a voice 00:05:38.129 --> 00:05:41.829 came from heaven. I have glorified it and will 00:05:41.829 --> 00:05:45.569 glorify it again. The crowd that was there and 00:05:45.569 --> 00:05:49.410 heard it said it had thundered. said an angel 00:05:49.410 --> 00:05:54.149 had spoken to him. Jesus said, this voice was 00:05:54.149 --> 00:05:58.129 for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for 00:05:58.129 --> 00:06:00.629 judgment on this world. Now the prince of this 00:06:00.629 --> 00:06:03.970 world will be driven out, but when I am lifted 00:06:03.970 --> 00:06:08.250 up from the earth, will draw all men to myself. 00:06:08.589 --> 00:06:11.670 He said this to show the kind of death he was 00:06:11.670 --> 00:06:16.529 going to die. The glory of Jesus Christ is realized 00:06:16.860 --> 00:06:21.899 in his sacrifice of himself on the cross at Calvary. 00:06:23.240 --> 00:06:25.639 You say, it seems strange that you speak of glory 00:06:25.639 --> 00:06:28.379 when you speak of a cross, for it's more gory 00:06:28.379 --> 00:06:33.800 than glory. My friend, in the midst of the gore, 00:06:34.300 --> 00:06:38.319 the blood, and the suffering of that cross, there 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:44.000 was glory revealed. You say, how was that glory 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:48.389 disclosed? Let me suggest to you this morning 00:06:48.389 --> 00:06:51.970 three ways. In the first place, His glory was 00:06:51.970 --> 00:06:57.250 disclosed in His obedience demonstrated to the 00:06:57.250 --> 00:07:03.449 Father. Jesus says in verse 27, Now my heart 00:07:03.449 --> 00:07:05.990 is troubled, what shall I say? Father, save me 00:07:05.990 --> 00:07:11.629 from this hour? No. It was for this very reason 00:07:11.629 --> 00:07:15.870 I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name. 00:07:19.180 --> 00:07:24.060 we can only imagine the departure of the Son 00:07:24.060 --> 00:07:26.759 of God from the glories of heaven as He came 00:07:26.759 --> 00:07:32.379 to the earth. What might have been the thoughts 00:07:32.379 --> 00:07:41.939 of the Father as He watched His Son leave? Did 00:07:41.939 --> 00:07:50.490 He say, Son, I love you? Go son and do the work 00:07:50.490 --> 00:07:53.189 that I've sent you to do and remember I am with 00:07:53.189 --> 00:07:59.509 you. I love you And what were the words of the 00:07:59.509 --> 00:08:03.490 Sun as he left the glories of heaven Knowing 00:08:03.490 --> 00:08:08.470 what was before him on the earth Well these words 00:08:08.470 --> 00:08:11.509 we don't have to guess at the writer of Hebrews 00:08:11.509 --> 00:08:15.870 tells us in the 10th chapter verses 5 through 00:08:15.870 --> 00:08:20.180 7 The essence of that conversation from the Son 00:08:20.180 --> 00:08:24.540 back to the Father can be found in these words, 00:08:25.579 --> 00:08:34.220 Lo, I come to do your will. Jesus said, Father, 00:08:34.259 --> 00:08:37.759 I'm going to do what you have sent me to do. 00:08:40.519 --> 00:08:46.840 We don't know exactly when, as a man, He understood 00:08:46.840 --> 00:08:52.100 his mission. But Jesus was conscious of his unique 00:08:52.100 --> 00:08:57.299 identity and committed to the Father's things, 00:08:57.580 --> 00:09:00.279 the Father's business, even in his childhood. 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:05.620 As Luke tells us, Luke 2, verse 49, when at the 00:09:05.620 --> 00:09:08.659 temple Jesus said, Don't you know I must be about 00:09:08.659 --> 00:09:15.580 my Father's business? And we ask ourselves the 00:09:15.580 --> 00:09:19.620 question, did John and Jesus, John the Baptist 00:09:19.620 --> 00:09:25.100 that is, and Jesus, his cousin, humanly, do they 00:09:25.100 --> 00:09:29.919 ever discuss what was ahead of them as they played 00:09:29.919 --> 00:09:36.500 together in childhood? How did John come to understand 00:09:36.500 --> 00:09:41.259 the special role that he was given? Was it through 00:09:41.259 --> 00:09:48.600 his mother and father? Perhaps. Nonetheless, 00:09:48.980 --> 00:09:53.559 John, the writer of the Gospel, records that 00:09:53.559 --> 00:09:56.919 when John the Baptist was baptizing out there 00:09:56.919 --> 00:10:02.899 in the River Jordan, he saw his cousin, Jesus, 00:10:04.139 --> 00:10:10.919 and on that occasion he said, The Lamb of God 00:10:10.919 --> 00:10:14.299 who comes to take away the sin of the world. 00:10:17.980 --> 00:10:21.100 So he knew who Jesus was. Maybe they had discussed 00:10:21.100 --> 00:10:27.519 that at some time in their young adulthood. Now 00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:30.480 the hour had come as we come to the 12th chapter 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:36.840 of John. Jesus calls it the hour. This is an 00:10:36.840 --> 00:10:39.600 hour that up to this point had not yet come. 00:10:40.039 --> 00:10:46.740 Now Jesus says the hour has come. He calls it 00:10:46.740 --> 00:10:50.759 the hour when He would be glorified. Notice that. 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:56.799 That is when His glory would be revealed. And 00:10:56.799 --> 00:10:59.200 so I ask again the simple question, how is it 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:02.559 revealed? By His obedience to the will of the 00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:08.409 Father. We notice that we notice as man he says 00:11:08.409 --> 00:11:13.409 My heart is troubled Do you have a troubled heart 00:11:13.409 --> 00:11:19.809 this morning? Do not think that Jesus escaped 00:11:19.809 --> 00:11:24.610 a troubled heart He himself says my heart is 00:11:24.610 --> 00:11:28.889 troubled The word literally means my heart is 00:11:28.889 --> 00:11:33.429 thrown into confusion What he is saying is that 00:11:33.429 --> 00:11:38.590 the danger, the strain of what lay ahead of him 00:11:38.590 --> 00:11:44.590 was beginning to press on his soul. This trouble 00:11:44.590 --> 00:11:47.529 that he felt within him continued as much as 00:11:47.529 --> 00:11:52.769 we know all the way through the Last Supper with 00:11:52.769 --> 00:11:55.690 the disciples when he said to them, let not your 00:11:55.690 --> 00:12:00.110 hearts be troubled. But his own heart was troubled, 00:12:00.129 --> 00:12:03.090 and it seems to have culminated in the Garden 00:12:03.090 --> 00:12:06.950 of Gethsemane when he said, Father, if it be 00:12:06.950 --> 00:12:11.750 possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, 00:12:12.090 --> 00:12:16.149 not what I will, but what you will. Thy will 00:12:16.149 --> 00:12:22.750 be done. And so we see his glory. The glory of 00:12:22.750 --> 00:12:25.190 perfect obedience. We see the struggle of the 00:12:25.190 --> 00:12:29.259 God -man. with the circumstances that were hours 00:12:29.259 --> 00:12:34.000 before him. And yet we see the glory of his perfect 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:38.919 obedience, his righteousness, as he prepares 00:12:38.919 --> 00:12:44.200 to lay down his life for sinners. Never does 00:12:44.200 --> 00:12:47.799 the glory of who he is shine more clearly, more 00:12:47.799 --> 00:12:52.799 visibly, than in this hour, as he calls it, when 00:12:52.799 --> 00:13:00.230 he faced the cross. The glory of Jesus Christ 00:13:00.230 --> 00:13:03.210 is revealed and disclosed in His sacrifice on 00:13:03.210 --> 00:13:08.129 the cross. We see it disclosed in His perfect 00:13:08.129 --> 00:13:11.330 obedience to the Father. Secondly, His glory 00:13:11.330 --> 00:13:14.330 was disclosed in the judgment that He delivered 00:13:14.330 --> 00:13:20.669 to the Prince of this world. In verse 31, He 00:13:20.669 --> 00:13:31.929 says, Now the prince of this world will be driven 00:13:31.929 --> 00:13:37.710 out. Have you ever noted in your mind that John 00:13:37.710 --> 00:13:40.809 in his gospel does not include a record of the 00:13:40.809 --> 00:13:47.730 temptation in the wilderness? And yet here he 00:13:47.730 --> 00:13:51.230 makes it very clear of the battle that occurred 00:13:51.230 --> 00:13:55.789 between light and darkness, between Christ and 00:13:55.789 --> 00:14:00.210 Satan. He makes clear the reality of Satan's 00:14:00.210 --> 00:14:03.970 role in the darkness of the world and in the 00:14:03.970 --> 00:14:09.529 rejection of the world of the Savior. After months 00:14:09.529 --> 00:14:12.409 of uncertainty, now decisive action will take 00:14:12.409 --> 00:14:17.090 place. This is not only the time for his own 00:14:17.090 --> 00:14:21.549 glory, but now is the time for judgment, as he 00:14:21.549 --> 00:14:25.929 calls it, on this world and its prince. It's 00:14:25.929 --> 00:14:30.590 Prince who will be driven out. Now judgment here 00:14:30.590 --> 00:14:34.830 does not mean final retribution is going to come 00:14:34.830 --> 00:14:41.309 fully or immediately at this point. What Jesus 00:14:41.309 --> 00:14:44.450 is saying is events are now going to unfold which 00:14:44.450 --> 00:14:50.830 will set in motion judgment. God had made His 00:14:50.830 --> 00:14:55.120 final revelation in His Word and now all the 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:57.759 world will be held responsible for whether they 00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:02.360 have obeyed or disobeyed that revelation. And 00:15:02.360 --> 00:15:05.200 Jesus makes it clear that this judgment includes 00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:10.639 the one who originated sin and who brought it 00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:15.299 into the world and who orchestrates its advance. 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:20.940 And he says this prince who is Satan will be 00:15:20.940 --> 00:15:25.200 thrown out literally. Again, this is not to happen 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:31.179 immediately. But the sentence was pronounced 00:15:31.179 --> 00:15:36.639 at this point and it will be carried out. Jesus 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:39.399 is reminding us here by these words that Satan 00:15:39.399 --> 00:15:43.779 the prince of this world is a usurper. That he 00:15:43.779 --> 00:15:49.500 has no legal claim to reign. That the Lord Jesus 00:15:49.500 --> 00:15:53.769 was through his cross going to strip Satan of 00:15:53.769 --> 00:15:57.490 his weaponry and his powers. Through the cross 00:15:57.490 --> 00:16:01.889 he would lead Satan in a triumphant march. Satan 00:16:01.889 --> 00:16:04.590 being the defeated one, Christ the victorious 00:16:04.590 --> 00:16:08.610 general. He would make an open show of Satan 00:16:08.610 --> 00:16:12.289 and his forces of darkness. He is going to be 00:16:12.289 --> 00:16:17.870 thrown out. His doom is sure. The glory of Jesus 00:16:17.870 --> 00:16:20.649 Christ's death is seen in the cross where he 00:16:20.649 --> 00:16:27.509 defeated his enemy. Satan. In Hebrews the second 00:16:27.509 --> 00:16:31.169 chapter and the fourteenth verse we have a further 00:16:31.169 --> 00:16:34.009 word regarding his coming in flesh and blood 00:16:34.009 --> 00:16:40.809 and why he did. It says, since the children have 00:16:40.809 --> 00:16:47.029 flesh and blood, he, that's the son, he too shared 00:16:47.029 --> 00:16:51.399 in their humanity so that by his death He might 00:16:51.399 --> 00:16:55.340 destroy him who holds the power of death, that 00:16:55.340 --> 00:16:59.320 is the devil, and free those who all their lives 00:16:59.320 --> 00:17:05.400 were held in slavery by fear of death. That is 00:17:05.400 --> 00:17:12.259 one of Satan's tools to hold people. He enforces 00:17:12.259 --> 00:17:16.619 his orders, his mastery in their lives by holding 00:17:16.619 --> 00:17:21.150 over them the fear of death. Jesus says no longer. 00:17:22.569 --> 00:17:28.150 I am coming that I might take away that power 00:17:28.150 --> 00:17:32.750 from him. That I might destroy him. He was manifested 00:17:32.750 --> 00:17:35.950 that he might destroy the works of the devil, 00:17:36.569 --> 00:17:41.549 writes John elsewhere. The glory of Jesus Christ 00:17:41.549 --> 00:17:46.650 was disclosed in his cross -suffering because 00:17:46.650 --> 00:17:50.349 there he delivered judgment to the Prince of 00:17:50.349 --> 00:17:56.509 this world. You say, well then we need not worry 00:17:56.509 --> 00:18:01.329 about Satan. No, that isn't the case. He's still 00:18:01.329 --> 00:18:05.630 a very real enemy. We need not be terrified of 00:18:05.630 --> 00:18:09.109 him. We need not fear him. But we do need to 00:18:09.109 --> 00:18:15.480 be cautious of him. Peter says he is like a roaring 00:18:15.480 --> 00:18:19.619 lion walking about seeking whom he may devour. 00:18:22.119 --> 00:18:27.000 I read a story about Carl Armending, who recounted 00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:30.339 an experience one time of watching a wild cat 00:18:30.339 --> 00:18:35.140 in a zoo. And as he stood there watching this 00:18:35.140 --> 00:18:38.799 wild animal, an attendant entered the cage on 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:40.740 the opposite side from where he was standing. 00:18:42.089 --> 00:18:44.910 And he had nothing in his hands except a broom 00:18:44.910 --> 00:18:48.309 that he was carrying. Closing the door behind 00:18:48.309 --> 00:18:51.230 him, the attendant began to sweep the floor of 00:18:51.230 --> 00:18:54.450 the cage. He observed that the attendant did 00:18:54.450 --> 00:18:58.230 not have any weapon with him to ward off an attack. 00:18:59.589 --> 00:19:01.650 And in fact, when he got over to the corner where 00:19:01.650 --> 00:19:06.029 the cat was lying, he poked the cat with the 00:19:06.029 --> 00:19:09.309 broom. So the cat got up and moved away, and 00:19:09.309 --> 00:19:12.869 he swept where the cat had been. The cat hissed 00:19:12.869 --> 00:19:17.250 at him, but that was about all. So when he got 00:19:17.250 --> 00:19:19.910 out of the cage, Armending went over to him and 00:19:19.910 --> 00:19:23.130 said, you certainly are a brave man. He said, 00:19:23.190 --> 00:19:27.670 no, I ain't brave. Well then, said Armending, 00:19:27.750 --> 00:19:32.130 that must be a tame animal. No, no, said the 00:19:32.130 --> 00:19:35.809 attendant, he ain't tame either. Well, he said, 00:19:35.849 --> 00:19:39.349 if you aren't brave and the wild cat isn't tame, 00:19:39.450 --> 00:19:42.410 then I can't understand why he doesn't attack 00:19:42.410 --> 00:19:46.829 you." Well, the attendant chuckled and he replied, 00:19:47.589 --> 00:19:50.789 Well, mister, he's old and he ain't got no teeth. 00:19:52.730 --> 00:19:57.609 Makes a little difference. Jesus extracted the 00:19:57.609 --> 00:20:01.690 teeth from the devil. He still walks about like 00:20:01.690 --> 00:20:08.410 a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. But 00:20:08.410 --> 00:20:12.259 he ain't got no teeth. Because Jesus at the cross 00:20:12.259 --> 00:20:16.000 of Calvary took his teeth away and we have to 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:22.220 be wary But we don't have to be afraid because 00:20:22.220 --> 00:20:29.200 Satan is conquered He is still active He is still 00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:31.299 very much an enemy that we have to be on guard 00:20:31.299 --> 00:20:34.339 against and against whom we wrestle as Paul puts 00:20:34.339 --> 00:20:39.240 in Ephesians 6 But don't you ever think? as Satan 00:20:39.240 --> 00:20:43.460 is going to gain a victory. He's already defeated 00:20:43.460 --> 00:20:49.500 at the cross because the Son revealed His glory 00:20:49.500 --> 00:20:55.400 by destroying the devil and pronouncing judgment 00:20:55.400 --> 00:20:59.759 upon Him and His whole system. And though we 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:03.960 live in the midst of a sort of a revival of His 00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:10.470 system today, when we see overtly satanic principles 00:21:10.470 --> 00:21:16.150 being placed in position in the culture in which 00:21:16.150 --> 00:21:21.029 we live. Ultimately, friend, this world cannot 00:21:21.029 --> 00:21:25.450 stand before God because Jesus Christ has already 00:21:25.450 --> 00:21:29.589 delivered His judgment 2 ,000 years ago and it 00:21:29.589 --> 00:21:33.309 is going to be carried out. The glory of the 00:21:33.309 --> 00:21:38.759 Son. Why did He come into the world? in human 00:21:38.759 --> 00:21:41.319 flesh as one of us so that he might destroy the 00:21:41.319 --> 00:21:45.400 devil and his whole system. But there is a third 00:21:45.400 --> 00:21:48.819 way in which we see the glory of Jesus Christ 00:21:48.819 --> 00:21:53.519 revealed at the cross in his suffering. His glory 00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:56.660 as the eternal Son of God was disclosed in the 00:21:56.660 --> 00:22:01.420 salvation that he determined for humanity. Notice 00:22:01.420 --> 00:22:04.039 that he says in verse 32, when I'm lifted up 00:22:04.039 --> 00:22:10.059 from the earth. I will draw all men to myself." 00:22:10.059 --> 00:22:13.299 This term, lifted up, was used elsewhere in the 00:22:13.299 --> 00:22:15.920 Gospel of John, chapter three, again in chapter 00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:19.119 eight, and each time it is John's expression 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:23.400 of Jesus suffering on the cross. And in fact, 00:22:23.539 --> 00:22:26.859 he notes here, this he said to show the kind 00:22:26.859 --> 00:22:31.279 of death he was going to die. Jesus said, when 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:34.779 I am lifted up between heaven and earth, The 00:22:34.779 --> 00:22:37.660 result of that is that I will draw all men to 00:22:37.660 --> 00:22:42.539 myself. This is not a word about universal salvation. 00:22:43.940 --> 00:22:46.460 As though in the end everybody is going to be 00:22:46.460 --> 00:22:49.920 saved. But what he is saying is, when I am lifted 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:53.220 up, I will draw from all men without distinction. 00:22:54.740 --> 00:22:58.980 The poor, the rich, the Jew, the Gentile. I will 00:22:58.980 --> 00:23:02.839 draw from them. They will come to me. In fact, 00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:05.799 you notice in the more broad context of John 00:23:05.799 --> 00:23:09.059 12, Jesus is making all of these statements in 00:23:09.059 --> 00:23:11.579 response to some Greeks who had come wanting 00:23:11.579 --> 00:23:15.279 to see him. And this seems to be the closest 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:18.140 point to the answer that Jesus gave to that desire 00:23:18.140 --> 00:23:21.980 that they had to interview him. He said, when 00:23:21.980 --> 00:23:25.039 I am lifted up, I will draw all men to myself. 00:23:26.579 --> 00:23:30.920 He is glorified. in that he redeems a remnant 00:23:30.920 --> 00:23:35.180 of Adam's race to inhabit a new heaven and a 00:23:35.180 --> 00:23:39.400 new earth. He himself was raised from the dead 00:23:39.400 --> 00:23:42.900 and returned to heaven and is today gathering 00:23:42.900 --> 00:23:48.619 his own to himself. And one day he is going to 00:23:48.619 --> 00:23:53.019 redeem us entirely including our bodies and we 00:23:53.019 --> 00:23:57.279 will be with him forever. That was the joy that 00:23:57.279 --> 00:24:00.339 was set before him when he endured the cross. 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:04.579 And so Messiah is glorified as the Lord of redeemed 00:24:04.579 --> 00:24:09.359 humanity with whom he chooses to share his kingdom. 00:24:11.819 --> 00:24:14.480 Now in the midst of all of this teaching regarding 00:24:14.480 --> 00:24:17.960 his glory, there is an application that we do 00:24:17.960 --> 00:24:21.400 not want to miss. It is an application that is 00:24:21.400 --> 00:24:25.480 given in a picture in verse 24. Jesus is talking 00:24:25.480 --> 00:24:28.319 primarily about Himself, but there is a very 00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:32.160 clear application to you and me. There's an application 00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:34.779 from agriculture and He says the seed is just 00:24:34.779 --> 00:24:38.420 a seed as long as you hold it in your hand. But 00:24:38.420 --> 00:24:41.000 if you place that seed into the ground and it 00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:45.519 dies and goes through the process of germination 00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:49.599 therefore, it sprouts a new plant which produces 00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:53.599 a whole new head of grain. So, where there was 00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:56.480 one piece of grain before, now you have many 00:24:56.480 --> 00:25:02.180 pieces of grain. There's the picture. His point 00:25:02.180 --> 00:25:04.599 is that I am going to lay down my life and as 00:25:04.599 --> 00:25:08.339 a result of doing that, there will be many who 00:25:08.339 --> 00:25:13.539 will be called the children of God. Then we see 00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:17.460 the principle in verse 25 applied to us. The 00:25:17.460 --> 00:25:19.599 man who loves his life will lose it, while the 00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:22.019 man who hates his life in this world will keep 00:25:22.019 --> 00:25:26.880 it for eternal life. To love our lives means 00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:32.000 to put ourselves before him. He who loves his 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:35.619 suke, that's what he says here. If you could 00:25:35.619 --> 00:25:37.839 see that spelled out in English letters, you 00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:40.099 would see that it is the word from where we get 00:25:40.099 --> 00:25:44.980 psychology, psyche, psychologist, psychiatry, 00:25:45.160 --> 00:25:50.619 psyche. He who loves his psyche. By that the 00:25:50.619 --> 00:25:54.599 Greeks meant who love themselves, their individual 00:25:54.599 --> 00:25:57.980 personalities, who they are with all of their 00:25:57.980 --> 00:26:01.559 experiences and all of their attainments. That 00:26:01.559 --> 00:26:04.220 was the psyche to the Greeks. Jesus says the 00:26:04.220 --> 00:26:10.500 one who puts himself first will end up losing 00:26:10.500 --> 00:26:15.880 his life. But the one who's willing to lose his 00:26:15.880 --> 00:26:18.200 life, who's willing to lay it down, who's willing 00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:22.359 to say, as I am, thy will be done, that one will 00:26:22.359 --> 00:26:28.319 experience eternal life. There was a proprietor 00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:31.799 of a dry cleaning shop who also, as a part of 00:26:31.799 --> 00:26:37.519 his business, dyed clothing. And so he hung this 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:42.859 sign in his shop window. And remember, he's using 00:26:42.859 --> 00:26:49.000 die here, D -Y -E. He says, we die to live and 00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:53.019 live to die. The more we die, the more we live, 00:26:53.059 --> 00:26:58.440 and the more we live, the more we die. It's also 00:26:58.440 --> 00:27:02.319 true of Christians. The principle of laying down 00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:07.559 ourselves for the will of God. George Mueller 00:27:07.559 --> 00:27:10.980 was asked the secret of his prayer life and his 00:27:10.980 --> 00:27:13.380 fruitfulness as a Christian. He replied, there 00:27:13.380 --> 00:27:16.700 came a day when George Mueller died, utterly 00:27:16.700 --> 00:27:21.299 died. No longer did his own desire, preferences, 00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:25.200 and tastes come first. He knew that from then 00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:33.019 on Christ must be all in all. There's a precept 00:27:33.019 --> 00:27:37.599 in verse 26. Jesus says, whoever serves me must 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:40.079 follow me." And I ask you, where was he headed? 00:27:41.839 --> 00:27:45.680 He was headed to the cross. And so the precept 00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:48.180 that he lays down here is that we cannot serve 00:27:48.180 --> 00:27:53.220 him without following him to the cross. And they're 00:27:53.220 --> 00:27:58.740 dying to ourselves, dying to our self -interests, 00:27:59.559 --> 00:28:08.000 dying to our rights. Jim Elliot was martyred 00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:15.319 in 1956. As you probably know, he was trying 00:28:15.319 --> 00:28:18.319 to reach the Oka Indians in South America for 00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:21.279 Christ when he was killed, along with four other 00:28:21.279 --> 00:28:26.579 missionaries. Just three years earlier than that, 00:28:26.859 --> 00:28:30.140 after watching an Indian die in a jungle hut, 00:28:31.700 --> 00:28:36.470 Jim Elliot was moved to die if necessary, he 00:28:36.470 --> 00:28:40.549 said in his writings, to help these people come 00:28:40.549 --> 00:28:45.269 to Christ. Little did he know at that point when 00:28:45.269 --> 00:28:47.809 he wrote, Lord, let me live until I've declared 00:28:47.809 --> 00:28:51.829 thy works to this generation. Little did he know 00:28:51.829 --> 00:28:54.150 when he wrote his willingness to die that three 00:28:54.150 --> 00:28:57.289 years later, before he was 30 years of age, he 00:28:57.289 --> 00:29:04.109 would die. As a result of his death, his laying 00:29:04.109 --> 00:29:09.029 down his life literally for Christ, thousands 00:29:09.029 --> 00:29:13.089 of Indians in that part of South America have 00:29:13.089 --> 00:29:17.009 come to faith in Christ. And beyond that, thousands 00:29:17.009 --> 00:29:20.509 of Christian workers around the world have gone 00:29:20.509 --> 00:29:23.029 into the Lord's work because of his example and 00:29:23.029 --> 00:29:28.170 testimony in his writings. Whoever serves me 00:29:28.170 --> 00:29:34.059 says Jesus must follow me. to the cross. Then 00:29:34.059 --> 00:29:38.880 we have a promise. Where I am, my servant also 00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:43.960 will be. My Father will honor the one who serves 00:29:43.960 --> 00:29:48.339 me. Jesus said it is worth laying down your life 00:29:48.339 --> 00:29:52.259 because I want you to know that if you do, if 00:29:52.259 --> 00:29:57.180 you're willing to die to yourself and thus live, 00:29:58.819 --> 00:30:02.259 one day you'll be in heaven with me. And my Father 00:30:02.259 --> 00:30:07.059 is going to honor you. He says we will be with 00:30:07.059 --> 00:30:11.900 Him and be rewarded because we lived and died 00:30:11.900 --> 00:30:16.859 as did He. Let's keep that before us this Christmas 00:30:16.859 --> 00:30:21.380 season. That the Son of God came into the world 00:30:21.380 --> 00:30:26.619 that He might die. And He has called us to Himself 00:30:26.619 --> 00:30:29.720 that we might have life and then offer it for 00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:38.259 Him. and not live it for ourselves. We are pushed 00:30:38.259 --> 00:30:45.319 and cajoled and exhorted and commercialized into 00:30:45.319 --> 00:30:49.039 the idea that we deserve it all and we ought 00:30:49.039 --> 00:30:51.819 to live for ourselves and get it while we can. 00:30:53.960 --> 00:30:57.420 Jesus says, lift up your eyes from the world, 00:30:58.819 --> 00:31:04.180 get a picture of things as they really are, understand 00:31:04.180 --> 00:31:08.720 that eternity is real and lay down your life 00:31:08.720 --> 00:31:13.599 in this world for my sake. Be willing to put 00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:17.799 your self -interest behind you. Be willing to 00:31:17.799 --> 00:31:22.980 die to the rights that you claim and lay them 00:31:22.980 --> 00:31:29.759 aside. One day you'll be with me and my father. 00:31:30.700 --> 00:31:39.180 My father is going to honor you. Wendell Phillips 00:31:39.180 --> 00:31:44.619 was an advocate of human rights 125 years ago. 00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:47.799 He was one of the strongest of the leaders of 00:31:47.799 --> 00:31:50.579 the abolitionists in the United States, that 00:31:50.579 --> 00:31:53.680 is, those who wanted to get rid of slavery. And 00:31:53.680 --> 00:31:55.740 once that had happened legally, he went on to 00:31:55.740 --> 00:32:02.339 other aspects of human rights. The story is told 00:32:02.339 --> 00:32:06.660 of one night when he was many miles from his 00:32:06.660 --> 00:32:09.980 home in Boston, had finished one of his fiery 00:32:09.980 --> 00:32:14.420 lectures, and his friends urged him not to attempt 00:32:14.420 --> 00:32:18.839 the journey back home until the morning. But 00:32:18.839 --> 00:32:21.900 he was a man who was utterly devoted to his invalid 00:32:21.900 --> 00:32:26.769 wife. Well, they said the last train has left 00:32:26.769 --> 00:32:28.730 and in order for you to get back to the city 00:32:28.730 --> 00:32:30.970 you're going to have to make some kind of special 00:32:30.970 --> 00:32:34.029 arrangements now and it's very cold and it's 00:32:34.029 --> 00:32:37.950 sleeting. And you face several miles of rough 00:32:37.950 --> 00:32:42.730 riding before you get there. The story is told 00:32:42.730 --> 00:32:44.950 that Wendell Phillips simply smiled and said, 00:32:45.529 --> 00:32:49.089 but at the other end of those miles I shall find 00:32:49.089 --> 00:32:55.859 my beloved Anne. Isn't that a great story? My 00:32:55.859 --> 00:32:58.220 friend, it may be sleeting, it may be tough. 00:32:59.200 --> 00:33:01.079 Life may be hard now, but I want to tell you 00:33:01.079 --> 00:33:03.099 something, at the end of it all is our beloved 00:33:03.099 --> 00:33:08.599 Jesus. And whatever we pass through in this world 00:33:08.599 --> 00:33:12.220 for His sake is well worth it, because one day 00:33:12.220 --> 00:33:18.640 we'll see Him and share in His glory, the glory 00:33:18.640 --> 00:33:23.670 that He revealed. in His sacrifice at the cross. 00:33:24.450 --> 00:33:32.349 Let's pray. Friend, have you trusted Christ? 00:33:32.410 --> 00:33:36.730 Do you know Him as your Lord? Do you have eternal 00:33:36.730 --> 00:33:40.869 life? Are you sure your sins are forgiven? At 00:33:40.869 --> 00:33:45.069 the end of the miles of your life, is Jesus going 00:33:45.069 --> 00:33:50.269 to be standing there waiting for you? Will you 00:33:50.269 --> 00:33:54.869 trust Him today? Do not delay or put off any 00:33:54.869 --> 00:33:57.450 longer. This Christmas season, will you receive 00:33:57.450 --> 00:34:01.890 God's gift in His Son, a gift given for you, 00:34:03.069 --> 00:34:11.489 a gift paid for, the cross on your behalf? Dear 00:34:11.489 --> 00:34:18.030 child of God, are you living for yourself? Who's 00:34:18.030 --> 00:34:22.929 first in your life? Listen to the words of Jesus, 00:34:23.130 --> 00:34:28.750 the one who loves his life will lose it. And 00:34:28.750 --> 00:34:32.929 the one who hates his life in this world will 00:34:32.929 --> 00:34:38.070 keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must 00:34:38.070 --> 00:34:43.010 follow me. Will you surrender yourself to him 00:34:43.010 --> 00:34:46.730 and say as he did to the father, thy will be 00:34:46.730 --> 00:34:52.150 done, Lord. Whatever it cost me, Whatever the 00:34:52.150 --> 00:34:59.769 sacrifice, Jesus, your will be done. I hope you'll 00:34:59.769 --> 00:35:05.630 do that today. Give him your gift of surrender. 00:35:07.909 --> 00:35:10.989 Lord Jesus, how wonderful you are, how glorious. 00:35:12.989 --> 00:35:16.110 And we see your glory demonstrated at the cross, 00:35:17.429 --> 00:35:22.320 where you conquered Satan. and where you purchased 00:35:22.320 --> 00:35:29.119 us. Lord, because of what you've done on our 00:35:29.119 --> 00:35:35.239 behalf, in laying down yourself, we lay down 00:35:35.239 --> 00:35:43.539 ourselves for you. And we ask you to fill us 00:35:43.539 --> 00:35:49.739 and to use us as a people. to further demonstrate 00:35:49.739 --> 00:35:54.420 your glory in this dark world in which we live. 00:35:55.539 --> 00:35:59.079 May your glory be seen in our lives as we live 00:35:59.079 --> 00:36:03.840 out your life in the strength of the Holy Spirit. 00:36:06.579 --> 00:36:11.460 Let's stand together with our heads bowed and 00:36:11.460 --> 00:36:26.099 just sing quietly, have thine own way. Thou art 00:36:26.099 --> 00:36:39.320 the potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me 00:36:39.320 --> 00:36:58.849 after thy will, while I Live it out, Lord. Live 00:36:58.849 --> 00:37:02.789 out your life through us. This week may we walk 00:37:02.789 --> 00:37:07.590 in your glory, knowing that whatever our road 00:37:07.590 --> 00:37:11.769 entails, you're standing at the end of it. And 00:37:11.769 --> 00:37:14.670 it'll be worth it all when we see you face to 00:37:14.670 --> 00:37:18.409 face in your glory. Amen.