43: John 12: Preaching Teaching

Standing Out

Renovating our city with God’s blueprint.

The American Church has done a great job at least sharing his method. Not a perfect job and this is still one of the main functions of the church.

His Message-We have shared the good news of the gospel.

Billy Graham comes to mind.

Bill Bright came up with a way to share the gospel called the four spiritual laws.

I have shared with you guys lately how I have been having gospel conversations with the security guards at my kids school.

But most of you hear have heard a clear presentation of the gospel message.

But then their becomes a disconnect with how do we live in light of this.

We know the importance of believing the gospel but how do we have life in his name.

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

We have set a Christianity where are belief is disconnected from our life.

His Method-

And as a result of this disconnect the christianity as a whole that American has produced does not stand out.

It is why Christians in America on average look like the rest of the world.

Or another way to put it we don’t experience the life that we have in Christ like we are created to experience.

John 10:10 ““The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

Today we are going to be challenged by three traits we should seek after so that we can have life in his name.

The first trait Life in his Name has: Can Change this for next talk to: The first trait a life that stands out possesses:

1. Is our bodies are living sacrifices (1-11).

I always want to make clear that as believers when we live for God it is in response to God. We are never trying to earn the favor of God.

We are responding to Grace.

John 12:1–2 NASB95

Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.

The actions of Mary and Martha—the latter serving, the former adoring—are consistent with the picture of the two women preserved in Luke 10:38–42.-CARSON

This is saying that Jesus had six days to live. He was not just going to die, he was going to die the most gruesome death for the sins of the world.

What would you do if you had six days to live.

He was with those he is closest to and they were honoring him.

John 12:3 NASB95

Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

God wants us to put everything on the table!

Mary wanted to give God her greatest possessions.

John 12:3 (PNTC Jn): Its purity, quantity and origin account for its appalling cost: when John labels it an expensive perfume, he is thinking on a scale far larger than what we might mean by the words (cf. notes on vv. 4–5; on the varieties of nard and their cost, cf. LSJ s.v.; NewDocs 1. § 41). CARSON

We will dive more into this next week but for a Jewish person to touch a persons feet was a NO NO-

Jews did not eat bacon and they did not clean peoples feet.

This is a great picture of serving!

Have you put everything on the table for God?

Have you given everything to God.

The things we love the most are the hardest to give to God.

Have you offered your life to God?

When we first were called by God to plant Renovation City Church it was all on the table. How are we going to make it? But I remember that was scary, I had zero control. I did not like having any control. God does not just want a moment of this kind of faith. he wants a pattern of this kind of faith.

Living sacrifices like to get off the altar.

What are you holding onto?

This kind of life will not make sense to the natural onlooker

John 12:4–7 NASB95

But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, *said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial.

Many other had to be thinking what Judas said right.

You are: 300 Denari was a year’s salary.

Either Mary and her family were super wealthy or she was giving up a family Heirloom.

But the question that was posed had to be a question others were thinking.

WHAT THEY DID NOT KNOW IS THAT THE GREATEST FEAT IN HUMAN HISTORY WAS ABOUT TO BE PERFORMED AND JESUS WAS ABOUT TO DEFEAT DEATH ONCE AND FOR ALL.

When we live on the altar ordinary acts become extraordinary

John 12:8 NASB95

“For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”

We are talking about this today. Because Mary lived her life as a living sacrifice we are still talking about this great act today.

Her life lived beyond the grave.

John 12:9–11 NASB95

The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.

When people live like this it doesn’t matter the climate-people will believe in Jesus.

Application:

As a part of our core team we talk about giving God our time, treasure and talent?

That will happen when we live as a living sacrifice.

Are you holding back your time, treasure and talent or are you on the altar of faith?

The next trait Life in his Name has:

2. is a willingness to die (20-26: KV 24-26).

Here is the context: Just give some context. The Jewish people wanted a Jewish conquerer. They wanted to see the glory of Isreal restored. Remember the chants, Saul killed his thousands, David his 10 thousands. And then Jesus comes:

John 12:12–15 NASB95

On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.” Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 12:14–15

12:14–15. Jesus’ riding into the city on a young donkey was a sign of peace (cf. comments on Matt. 21:2, which speaks of Jesus riding on a donkey and a colt). He did not ride a war horse or carry a sword or wear a crown. Nor did He ride in a wheeled vehicle, as did many kings. His manner of entry fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy which contrasted Jesus’ coming (Zech. 9:9) with the coming of Alexander the Great (Zech. 9:1–8). Daughter of Zion is a poetic way of referring to the people of Jerusalem, the city built on Mount Zion. Here, in quoting Zechariah 9:9, John called Jesus Israel’s King.

John 12:16–19 NASB95

These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him. So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him. For this reason also the people went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are not doing any good; look, the world has gone after Him.”

Jesus came to die

John 12:23 NASB95

And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

This is the very hour of why he came. He came to die for the sins of men. For most people death was their humiliation but for Jesus dying was his glory.

Death had to happen for multiplication to take place

John 12:24 NASB95

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 12:23–24

The analogy of a kernel of wheat “dying” in the ground and producing many seeds teaches that death is necessary for a harvest.

Think about this over 2000 years later who are we talking about Jesus. If he would not have willingly died and then defeated death we would not be talking about him today.

Do you believe the paradox: An Argument for life

John 12:25 NASB95

“He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.

This does not make sense. The world tells us to chase after the American Dream.

To make as much money as possible. This is what we are to do.

But Jesus says if you love your life you will lose it.

He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose. Jim Elliott

Illustration: Jim Elliott story. Jim Elliott died before he died. His family with three other families decided to bring the gospel to the deadliest tribe in the world.

If you love your life give it away.

It does not have to be as a missionary.

John 12:26 NASB95

“If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

How do we die:

We serve him-

We follow him-

Example of the rabbi in Israel: Guy who went there and they had to do everything the master did.

But for us as believers there is a real reality here. The call of the Christian is to die daily.

Illustration comes directly from the text.

The last trait Life in his Name has:

3. is God glorifying prayer (27-34: KV 27-28).

a. Prayer - Two ways. We should talk to God-that = real part of prayer.

John 12:27 NASB95

“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.

We need to bring everything before God. This is not a bad thing. Do you talk to God about everything.

John 12:28 NASB95

“Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

But we also need to listen. We have 2 ears and one mouth.

B. End of prayer = glorify God.

What is a life for the glory of God-

Watched the end of the Michigan game and Michigan was playing their rival and in the 2nd half they pulled away and their running back scored these two really long touchdowns when I was watching. After the game he was interviewed and he kept talking about Jesus and how he was glorifying God in this game.

Centered on three major commands. Loving God, Loving others and making disciples. But in this general calling God has given us each a specific calling in that.

John 12:29–34 NASB95

So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.” Jesus answered and said, “This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes. “Now judgment is upon 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 men to Myself.” But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die. The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

We are going to do something