John: The King Of Peace

Exegetical Point:

Homiletic Point:

Intro

Getting back into John. Picking up where we left off.

Reminder: Why Did John write the Gospel of John?

John 20:30–31 NIV

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

We’re in the turning point of John - ministry and signs.

Resurrection of Lazarus is the climax of the signs. Now Jesus heads up to Jerusalem for the culmination of his work on earth under the Father.

The rest of the book will primarily be covering the final week of Jesus ministry before the cross. There’s lots of teaching here. So even though the narrative story slows down, the intriguing teaching builds up. Giving us heaps of truth to unpack and chew on.

But what are we looking at now?

Here we have 7 different approaches to Jesus.

7 approaches to Jesus - and of these 7, 3 are couplets of people accepting Jesus and rejecting Jesus.

So, I know a bunch of you like the order and simplicity of a numbering system, so I’ve numbered each couplet with an A or a B. So you can see, as we make our way through, two opposing voices compared against the other.

So much of our world is binary. Digital. Even though we appreciate there are grades and shades, when we get down to the building blocks things are bianary;

Light or Dark, Male or Female, Dead or Alive, Holy or Unholy, Slave or Free...

When it comes to Jesus, it is binary too, there are those who accept him or reject him.

John’s Gospel consistently highlights this distinction. From the opening chapter we’re told that the world at large rejected Jesus, but for those few who accept him they become Children of God, inheritors of eternal life.

You may be uncomfortable with the frankness of binary thinking. But it is for your benefit. Almost all attempts at carving out shades of grey in religion are cover-ups for sin:

People who want some of Jesus but not all of him.

People who want to feel better about themselves without ever making any sacrifices.

People who want to pay lip service to Jesus but then adopt whatever the loopy bandwagon is most popular in the world this week.

How about we turn to our passage and look at the binary playing out. How do people approach Jesus?

1.a. Honouring Jesus’ at his Feet

This is how Mary of Bethany approaches Jesus. Not to be confused with Mary mother of Jesus, or Mary Magdalene. This is Mary the brother of Lazarus who was recently raised from the dead. After the miracle, Jesus had gone underground a bit, because the powers that be want to assassinate Jesus. But the Passover festival was coming up, and people were wondering if Jesus would make an appearance.

Let’s read the story:

John 12:1–2 NIV

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.

So Jesus is up near the Mount of Olives, a hill looking over at the Holy city of Jerusalem, about 3km away.

They throw a party for Jesus! I would want to throw a party for the bloke who brought me back from the dead!

Lazarus and his sisters are there.

John 12:3 NIV

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Wow using expensive ointment to make Jesus smell really good. But this was a really humbling this for Mary to do. Even though we don’t have the same middle eastern customs around feet and washing, we even now would need to be utterly humble before doing such a thing.

“Mary’s action indicates an expression of intense personal devotion to Christ” (Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2047).

We don’t need to read any sexual themes into this interaction, it was a physical expression of her love for Jesus.

Mary is always found at Jesus feet - Sitting there to be taught, or mourning at his feet yet still trusting Him when Lazarus died. Now here she is showing her love and devotion by giving this extravagant gift, humbly administered. This was not for show.

This is an example of the one who approaches Jesus through love and devotion. One who trusts him and would give anything to him, including huge gifts.

Not all are willing to give everything to Jesus. Next we have the opposite side of this coin.

1.b. Money Grubbing with a Holy Facade

Judas has the air of being Jesus’ disciple, but His heart is in rebellion. He is the poster boy for deception, that why his name has become a colloquial term for a betrayer.

John 12:4–6 NIV

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

He doesn’t see an act of devotion and love - he sees a waste of money.

He’s not interested in honoring Jesus, he’s interested in his back pocket - but he uses the right words to make it sound like a zelous holiness. He’s their treasurer, looking after money for the group.

There are plenty of folk like this in churches

People there to take take take, either from the flock (leaders), or there to force God to bless you.

People who come to church to make a good impression and grow business connections.

Plenty of stories of treasurers who nick off with the church savings account.

People who decry spending that is a little bit too fancy, all the while misspending themselves.

You who would steal from your own family, supporting your personal outlandish spending habits while the rest of your family goes without - berating your spouse for spending too much on essential groceries while you drop wads of cash on selfish projects.

It starts out small, like Judas pinching a few coins “I’m going to pay it back” he tells himself, but not long after he is regularly pilfering, then he’s betraying his Master to the authorities for 30 silver coins. This is the deceitfulness of sin. It metastasizes.

Jesus rebuke’s Judas approach, and commends the “reckless” expenditure:

John 12:7–8 NIV

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

Giving to Jesus doesn’t come at the expense of serving the poor, but it is appropriate that Jesus is honored this way. It’s as if she has anointed Jesus body for burial, if not in that moment, the left overs could be kept for the coming Friday...

Mary happily gives a years wages to show her love to Jesus, while Judas wishes he could have some of that sweet wealth for himself. He cannot abide others experiencing wealth and joy - he is covetous, unwilling to give thanks God for what other have been blessed with. But then covering it over with a pretend holy concern of the poor.

This approach to Jesus has a air of spirituality, but it’s just betrayal, theft and selfishness undercover. REPENT!

2.a. Responding to the Good News

Lets have a look at another way to approach Jesus. While the dinner has been going on, people have been hearing that Jesus is back in town:

John 12:9 NIV

Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

So the news has been spreading and people are coming to see Jesus and Lazarus. You would expect news about the miracle working guy being back in town to spread.

This is an approach to Jesus on the basis of coming see if the rumors are true. They had heard about what had happened, and they came to see for themselves.

This is a good way to approach Jesus, to see for yourself what is true. There are plenty of opinions out there about who Jesus is, from just a decent guy who had some nice things to say, across to guy who has power over death.

Any true church will be a mouth peace for this good news, that Jesus does indeed have the power over death, and if you come to him, he will save you from eternal death, by resurrecting you like he did Lazarus.

Yet, just coming to see is not enough. Throughout the pages of John we see those who would come, but they came for selfish reasons. They followed Jesus when it was easy, and when it was hard they split.

So yes, come investigate Jesus, see if the claims about divinity are true. See if this man has defeated death. But come in humility, ready to accept Jesus if this is really true.

2.b. Plot to Overthrow Jesus & His People

Yet the opposite of hearing about Jesus and approaching him with humility, is to reject it all out of hand and work to undermine Jesus. This is what the chief priests did:

John 12:10–11 NIV

So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.

Who were the chief priests? Worked at the temple of God in Jerusalem overseeing the rituals there, and the teaching.

They were subject to Roman authority, but that didn’t stop them trying to get their own way.

They heard about people believing in Jesus because Lazarus was raised from the dead. Presumably Lazarus wasn’t shy about telling his story either!

So this approach to Jesus by the religious authorities of the day was to add Lazarus to the hit-list. If we just take them out, then we won’t have to worry about their teaching.

The irony is what was happening around them was the fulfillment of the religion they were chief priests of! They knew their Scriptures, but they refused to accept Jesus could be the guy they were waiting for. They rejected him, and his people, out of hand.

This was not confined to Jesus day. As Christianity spread across the world in the following years, there were authorities across the world who toook it upon themselves to try and wipe out the Gospel of Jesus and his Christians.

Remember that. Although there are occasions of mobs persecuting Christians, the most prevalent form of persecution comes from the religious or civil authorities.

Even after the church of Christ was established across the Medeteranian and Europe, this kind of attitude by religious authorities continued. Famously John Hus was a man who was burned at the stake by the Church authorities for preaching God’s word. Then his followers were relentlessly attacked (literally by crusades) until they were either killed, or forced to give up their beliefs that the word of God should be preached, that Christians should take both elements in the Lord’s Supper, and that your wealth and status in society shouldn’t determine if you should get away with sin.

This approach to Jesus is an outright rejection of him, and then going further, to try and git rid of him.

This is where many people are even today. They reject Christianity, but then they hate it with a passion. They try at every opportunity to drive out anything that smells of Christ, forgetting that they would need to get rid of our whole society to do that.

REPENT!

3.a. Herald & Honour Jesus

In the third couplet of approaches to Jesus, we see the growing number of people who are looking to Jesus in faith come to herald and honour him:

John 12:12–13 NIV

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!”

SO news was still spreading that Jesus had come to the Passover festival, then they heard that Jesus was coming over to Jerusalem.

At the festivals, and especially Passover, Jews traveled from all over the place to come and worship God. And those who knew about the ministry of Jesus were growing. There was a building momentum. People were hoping that this guy Jesus was the one they had been waiting for.

It felt like the moment had come, after being driven out of Jerusalem lats time with threat of death, now Jesus is deliberately returning. People saw this as a triumphant return in the face of the powers that be.

SO they took up palm branches, and they started to quote part of Psalm 118. Saying Hosanna: Save Us!

They saw Jesus as who he is - the fulfillment of the scripture, one who comes in the name of the Lord, but they also put the pieces together and understood that Jesus was the King.

They heralded the arrival of their long awaited King!

And Jesu was fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah while he was at it!

John 12:14–16 NIV

Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

The promises they had long expected was being fulfilled right before their very eyes! Yet even Jesus disciples didn’t put all the pieces together until later.

This was a wonderful moment. Imagine the atmosphere there as you honour and herald the King of Israel finally returning to Jerusalem to take up His crown.

Come thou long expected Jesus!

This is a right and proper way to approach Jesus. To give him the pride of place. To recognise Him as God’s King over God’s people. To herald His coming into the world.

Unfortunately, those folk there had some misconceptions about what kind of coronation Jesus would have. They expected him to overthrow the roman rule and take up a golden crown. Instead Jesus came to be crucified by the Romans and to be crowned with thorns.

Nevertheless, this is the right way to approach Jesus, with the honour he deserves, heralding his coming.

3.b. Despair over Jesus’ Influence

On the flip side, there are those who bemoan the coming of Christ. The news continued to spread about Jesus, and the crowd kept growing:

John 12:17–18 NIV

Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him.

More and more people were hearing about Jesus and his work. More and more people coming out to meet Jesus.

But the religious leaders are not excited about this, instead they despair over Jesus influence:

John 12:19 NIV

So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

The pharisees weren’t priests, but the were serious religious academics. They were serious about following God’s word to the letter. Yet even they are unwilling to see the fulfillment and accept Jesus.

It seems to them that everybody has lost their mind and they’re all following Jesus. All their attempts at getting rid of Jesus so far have not achieved anything.

Some people think about Jesus this way today, they’re surprised that there are so many people who believe this Bible stuff. They lambaste Christians for being uncritical thinkers. They try to undermine the Gospel message with their academic language and “righteous” indignation as if they are here to save humanity from it’s Saviour.

They need to REPENT!

They can despair all they want. Jesus and his Church will prevail.

4. Seek Jesus’ Presence

Our last approach to Jesus is a curious one.

Lots of people had heard about Jesus. He had a growing following and that meant more and more people telling more and more people.

Some interesting people came to investigate....

John 12:20–22 NIV

Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

We don’t know who these “greeks” were. This is after the hey-day of the Greek empires, and Greek was spoken across the eastern half of the Roman empire.

Greek could mean a non-Jewish person with Greek culture. SO this could have been folks from anywhere, including Jews from Alexandria or Syria etc.

But, based on the context, it seems these are people who were converts to Judaism. They had come up to worship with everyone else. These folks, sometimes called proselytes, were rare, but they did happen. They repented, and turned away from the pagan pantheon of gods and believed in the LORD God of Israel.

This was significant, because it was a sign of people who were traditionally considered “outsiders” from the other nations, were coming into God’s people.

They had heard about Jesus and they wanted to come into Jesus presence. They wanted to seek Jesus out and meet Him face to face.

This is an admirable endevour.

Naturally you are outside God’s people. You are lost in sin. You are separated from the one who resurrects the dead. You need to seek Jesus.

I don’t know what the significance is of the little exchange between Phillip and Andrew, but they went to tell Jesus...

Epilogue: The Path of Salvation

So how does Jesus respond to these enquirers? It provokes an interesting response from Jesus.Annoyingly the Greeks fade into the background, we never hear what happened to them, but this incident is important, because Jesus respond with this:

John 12:23–24 NIV

Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

It’s almost as if this is the moment Jesus has been waiting for.

“the hour” mentioned 5 times previously - now the hour is here. Now is the time for his big moment.

And Jesus uses the agricultural metaphor of a seed to describe what’s happening next.

A seed “dies” when it falls to the ground, but then what follows is new life and fruitfulness. It multiplies!

Joseph “died” going down into Egypt, but then God saved his people through him.

Jesus would die, literally, to bring life to many.

Die in our place, on a cross. Defeat death. Bring resurrection to all.

But this is not only a path that Jesus would walk, he would call all his followers to take the same path:

John 12:25–26 NIV

Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Jesus followers give up their life - they must die in favour of Christ.

Let go of your life so that you can have it forever. The upside down call of Christianity.

Give it up as a sacrifice to our God.

Jesus lays out the path ahead of him, and ahead of every potential disciple. He will forge the path, and all who follow must walk that path. Like a path cut by a crew, now it is able to be walked, but that does not mean it is easy (or that is saves you).

So What?

REPENT Your money grubbing ways.

REPENT Your desire to undermine God’s people.

REPENT your concern over the influence of Jesus Christ.

Love and honour Jesus with everything you have.

Hear the News about Jesus Christ, come and see if what he says is true!

Herald and Honour King Jesus

Come into the Presence of Jesus Christ by trusting in him.

Jesus died to bring abundant life.

Follow Jesus on the path of Salvation.

Receive the Honour of God by serving Jesus.

References:

Carson’s Pillar Commentary on John.

Hutcheson’s commentary on John

Hendrickson’s commentary on John

Sermons by Richard D. Philips,

Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version. Orlando, FL; Lake Mary, FL: Ligonier Ministries, 2005.

Phillips, Richard D. John. Edited by Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani. 1st ed. Vol. 1 & 2 of Reformed Expository Commentary. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2014.