John (23)

(Read John 12:36-50) Pray.

In chapter 1:9-14 of John we are introduced to the reality that, “The true Light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to His own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. Who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. “

What the apostle John offers in this introduction he now explains for us in chapter 12:37-50. We pose the question: How is it possible for Jesus’ own people to see the many powerful signs that He has accomplished and yet remain in unbelief? How could they hear his teaching and reject Him as their Messiah. It would be like driving through Ohio in the summer time and not realizing all the constructions barrels lined up along the highways. Why would they hear and see the power of God when Jesus turned water to wine, healed the sick, made the lame walk, fed 5,000 with a basket full of bread and fish, made a blind man see, and raised a dead man to life again… and still reject Him?

The answer is placed squarely on both what God has done and those who reject him.

Transition: Now, for the remainder of our time we will unpack this passage and note two key observations about unbelief. First of all we notice that unbelief is revealed…

Unbelief Revealed

(12:37-43)

The unbelief of Jesus’ own people is a reoccurring theme throughout their history. We remember that even when God had powerfully delivered them from Egypt they rejected God as the foot of Mount Sinai. Even though they witnessed the power of God through the hand of his servant Moses, they quickly complained and worshiped idols. Again, even though they experienced provision through the wilderness and His power through the conquest the land of Israel through Joshua’s leadership they eventually rejected Him as their King by demanding that they have a King to rule them like the other nations, and God gave them what they wanted.

This gives us insight into the sovereign hardening of their hearts that we now observe in the time of Jesus. God blinds their eyes because this is exactly what they wanted. Notice in verse 37.. They did not believe… and then in verse 39 they could not believe.

This falls right in line with Jesus’ previous description of them, when He said, they were of their father the devil. God is determining their unbelief because He is not their actual Father. Oh yes, they have the claim for being children of Abraham. The blood line of their decedents. They have the will of their flesh… but their claim to a Jewish heritage does does not alleviate their unbelief. Their nationality cannot give them righteousness. (Romans 9:7)

Application: Church, There is a great caution for us here against self -righteousness. These unbelievers had the right family tree. They had the right religion. They had the right deity. They even had the right commands and words written down for them which they studied with great fervor. They had the appearance of godliness but denied its power. (2 Tim 3:5) They remained in darkness and unbelief.

So we ask....

How did God harden their hearts and blind their eyes? By the proclamation of His word. (12:38a)(Read)God had clearly spoken to them and they had even heard the plain testimony of the prophet John the Baptist. The result is that the word of God hardened their heart because they did not submit to God’s word.

Also, Even though Jesus’ own people saw His many powerful signs, they did not believe because they were fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 53:1 which was spoken about 700 years before the time of Jesus. (read) They had read and studied the prophet Isaiah. They have heard the teaching of Jesus, they saw His power, yet did not believe. The unbelief of His own people is solidified because they rejected the word of God that was proclaimed about the Messiah. The result of their willful unbelief is that they also fulfilled what was spoken of them in Isaiah 6:10. (read John 12:40)

Notice that, verse 41 tells us why Isaiah spoke this prophecy. It was because he saw the glory of Christ. What was that glory? The context of this passage is Jesus coming to the feast of Passover. This is the week leading up to His death on the cross. We are reminded that in response to the Greeks seeking Him, Jesus said in 12:23, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” This is the glory that Isaiah spoke of. The hour has come for Jesus to finish what He started. To accomplish the work and will of His Father. To die as the passover Lamb for the sins of His people. To die as the pure and innocent sacrifice for impure and guilty sinners. Why is it now time?… Because according to the divine promises of God, even the gentiles are going to be grafted in as sons and daughters of God.

In this way, the rejection of Jesus’ own people opened the door for those outside the nation of the Jews to be saved. We are told, Isaiah made this prophecy because he saw the splendor, the exultation, the wonder and majesty of Jesus Death and resurrection in the place of gentile sinners.

This is exactly how the apostle Paul interprets Isaiah 6:9-10 in Acts 28:23-28 ....

Acts 28:23–28 ESV

When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: “ ‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”

God hardened their hearts and blinded their eyes because they rejected His word concerning the Messiah, the one who would give His life not only for those believing Jews, but also those from every tribe, language, and nation.

Application: Human rejection cannot thwart the purposes of God. As a matter of fact, by rejecting Christ and becoming hostile against Him, and killing Him, these rejecters were actually falling in line with the very plans of God. Consider our own circumstances today. When it seems like evil is prevailing, and immortality is growing, and hostility against anything true and good is attacking… God will not be moved.

This is true, Never the less... The sovereign election of God does not mean that humans are not responsible for their own unbelief. We discover in verses 42-43 another reason for unbelief. Plainly, it is that they loved the glory of man more than the glory of God.

Verse 42 tells us , many even of the Jewish authorities did believe Jesus. However, it was not true faith because they did not confess Christ. Their secret faith was a result of fear. Like the family of the blind man in John chapter nine they did not want to be expelled from the synagogue. This fear however, was a symptom of a mush deeper problem. They were guilty of loving the glory of man rather than the glory that comes from God. The roots of their false faith was an idolatrous love and worship of an inferior glory. This description in verse 43 gives us a very good definition of unbelief. Unbelief is idolatry. Loving glory that does not come from God.

So what does loving alternative glories look like? How does unbelief show itself in our lives? In chapter 13 of his gospel, the apostle Matthew records examples of various symptoms of unbelief from Jesus teaching the parable of the soils. (Read Jesus’ explanation of the parable in Matthew 13:18-23.

Matthew 13:18–23 ESV

“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

One reason this parable is so helpful to reveal unbelief is because Jesus quotes from Isiah 6:9-10 when the disciples ask Him why he speaks in parables. When Jesus taught in parables, the hearts of unbelievers were being hardened.

Transition: Unbelief is revealed to us in John 12:37-43 … then in verse 44-50 we observe how unbelief is removed. Here, John records Jesus’ final public sermon. Jesus cries out with an urgent call to believe Him, to see Him. Which He says is to believe and see the Father. Jesus calls his hearers to believe in Him so that they might be removed from spiritual darkness and escape the coming judgment.Jesus’ words are in perfect alignment with the commands of God the Father which are eternal life.

Unbelief Removed

Jesus cries out in verse 46, “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” The implication is that whoever does not believe in Jesus, remains in darkness. Spiritual darkness is the true identity of every human being that does not have true faith in Christ.

If unbelief could be removed simply by stating the facts, or presenting all the evidence, or proving the power of Jesus, then we must conclude that Jesus’ ministry was a flop. He did all these things and yet many did not believe in Him. This shows us the true identity of unbelief. Unbelief is like a polished up paint on a hot rod with no engine. The message of the cross of Jesus is foolishness to those who are perishing because according to their nature they do not believe. As John has already stated, they loved darkness rather than light.

Keep in mind, there are consequences for rejecting Jesus. There is judgment on the last day for those who hear the words of Christ and do not keep them. However, for this time, God is being very patient.. because He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. This is why Jesus calls those who remain in darkness to believe Him while the light is still shining. He is urgently calling. To those who believe, these are words of life. To those who remain in unbelief, words of judgment.

Like Nicodemus.. we may ask at this point, How can these things be? Consider this...The prophet Isaiah certainly records the sovereign work of God upon the heart of unbelievers, but the prophet Ezekiel also records the sovereign work of God upon the heart of unbelievers. In Ezekiel 36:26 he states… He is foretelling the new birth by the Spirit of God He is prophesying the removal of unbelief. This corresponds exactly with what we have heard form Jesus in John chapter 3 and again in John 6:63

Ezekiel 36:26 ESV

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

John 6:63 ESV

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

Application: What are the implications of this truth upon our lives? We must respond to the call of Christ in faith. Right in the middle of one of the Bible’s most precise explanations of God’s sovereign election the apostle Paul makes this pronouncement in Romans 10:9-13

Romans 10:9–13 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Conclusion: Today, you may be a true Christian. You have heard the wonderful news of the gospel. You have experienced the cutting conviction of your sin against God. You have trusted in the person and work of Jesus Christ. That because His death and resurrection, you have trusted him, turned from your sin, and rested in the sweet salvation only provided in Christ. And you think.... why would anyone ever reject Jesus? How is it possible to hear this good news that our sins can be forgiven and remain in darkness? It seems tragic, hysterical, and terrible.

However, you may also be one who remains in darkness. You may be one who is still questioning, doubting, and fighting. Perhaps you've heard bits and pieces of the gospel but are sill confused as to how it all comes together. Maybe you thought you had some things about Jesus figured out, but yet your life does not bear any fruit of faith.

Whatever our spiritual condition may be today, there is hope and certainty in this wonderful truth that God saves sinners. For His glory, by His grace, He awakens unbelievers out of the slumber of sin and imparts new life. He resurrected those who are dead in sin and gives them eternal life. He turns on the lights for those who remain in darkness that they might see and savor the glory of Christ. He is our pure and holy passion. There is not delight in any other. No gladness, blessing or hope except in Christ. Wont you trust Him? Wont you follow Him?