The Father's Commandment
God has given a commandment through Christ to believe in Him, and this commandment is eternal life.
Main Point:
The Text:
Prayer
Introduction:
In only five places in the Gospels is it recorded that Jesus “cried out.” Two of them arise from his sufferings on the cross (Matt. 27:46, 50; Mark 15:34). Another was when Jesus appealed to the crowd at the Feast of Tabernacles, calling for them to come to him as the giver of living water (John 7:37). A fourth occasion was when Jesus “cried out” to Lazarus in the tomb, calling him back to life (11:43). The fifth occasion is here at the very end of his public ministry, when Jesus responds to the Jews’ final rejection of their Messiah.
Upon this occasion, on account of the prevailing hardness and unbelief of the Jewish nation, and the non-confession of him by those who did believe him to be the Messiah. He cried with a loud voice, that he might be heard, and his audience left inexcusable; it denotes the concern of his mind, the vehemency of his spirit, and that openness and freedom in which he discharged his ministry, by shewing the nature, excellency, and usefulness of believing in him, and the dangerous consequences of unbelief
Believe in Jesus Christ
He has come from the Father.
The divinity of Jesus Christ seems incontrovertibly proved by this verse and the preceding one. If to believe in Christ is to believe in the Father, and to see Christ is to see the Father, then Jesus Christ must be equal with the Father,—very and eternal God.
He has come as light.
Do Not Reject Jesus Christ
He came to save the world.
He will come to judge the world.
Since Jesus is God’s Word (Logos) to people, God spoke decisively and finally in Him (Heb. 1:1–3). The issue is the command of the Father. To obey the Father is to come to eternal life (John 12:50). To reject the Father’s word—which is Jesus’ very word (v. 48; cf. v. 50b; 7:16; 14:10, 24)—is to abide in death.
This is a Commandment
To be obeyed, immediately.
To receive life, eternally.
Application:
We customarily express the gospel as an invitation from God, and rightly so. But it is also true that God demands that men and women receive his Son. When preaching to the Athenians, Paul noted God’s patience over the ages with rebel mankind. But with the coming of his own Son, Paul said, “now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).
Christians need to claim this same authority when speaking to the world. Too often we debate matters of truth and morality in accordance with the world’s standards. In arguing against abortion, some Christians will try to show the economic value of an increased birthrate. When arguing against homosexuality, they will present a sociological or psychological argument. But these arguments, even when true, lack authority. Christians should instead speak forth the Word of God, unashamedly pointing out the teaching of Holy Scripture, which comes with the authority of God himself. Especially when presenting the gospel of salvation, we should avoid arguing on the basis of worldly benefits, but should speak in such a way as to be able to say with Jesus: “I have not spoken on my own authority,” but on the authority of God.
So it was with Jesus, who ultimately vindicated himself by his obedience to the will of God the Father. The world might hate him (and it did) and might scoff at his teaching (and it still does), but he would content himself with the applause of one person only: his heavenly Father.