Obedient Unto Death
Notes
Transcript
27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.
28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine.
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.
1. The Death of Christ was troubling to him. (v. 27)
1. The Death of Christ was troubling to him. (v. 27)
27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.
In v. 23-26 Jesus had been talking about his death, and now as he reflects on the coming suffering and death he is troubled.
50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!
Image of calm, still water being stirred up or boiling in a pot.
Troubled souls in the OT and their prayers for salvation/rescue
David
3 My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lord—how long? 4 Turn, O Lord, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love.
11 For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
Heman the Ezrahite
1 O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you. 2 Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry! 3 For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol.
Hezekiah
15 What shall I say? For he has spoken to me, and he himself has done it. I walk slowly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul. 16 O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these is the life of my spirit. Oh restore me to health and make me live!
Each one of these men expresses a troubled soul, and each prays for rescue or deliverance from suffering and death. (Just like we often pray)
Christ on the other hand expresses the trouble of his soul, but he submits himself to the coming suffering and death instead of pleading for deliverance, because this is the very purpose for which he came — to suffer and die for us on the cross.
27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.
Jesus could have prayed for deliverance from suffering and death
53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”
But Jesus submitted himself to the Father’s will - he was obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8)
11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”
Hebrews 10:5–10 (ESV)
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; 6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’ ” 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
We will be saved from eternal suffering because of the obedience of Christ to the Father’s will.
Christ’s soul was troubled so that our souls would not be troubled forever but instead have peace.
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
2. The Death of Christ was the Purpose of His First Coming. (v. 27)
2. The Death of Christ was the Purpose of His First Coming. (v. 27)
27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.
25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
(The crowds obviously did not understand or believe this - see v. 34, an understanding based on God’s covenant with David, Psalm 89)
34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
They rightly understood that the Messiah’s reign would be eternal — but they didn’t understand what it would look like.
13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
36 His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me.
(and many other such references)
But God predicted that they would not understand the Messiah’s mission. He says in Isaiah 53:8,
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?
3. The Death of Christ Was for the Glory of God. (v. 28)
3. The Death of Christ Was for the Glory of God. (v. 28)
28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
This was Jesus’s prayer in his moment of deep distress and anguish as he felt the weight of his coming suffering and death.
This ought to be our prayer in our suffering as well - even if we pray for deliverance or freedom from suffering, we must submit ourselves to the Father’s will and seek the glory of God in everything (1 Corinthians 10:31- Do everything for the glory of God).
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
God had already glorified himself in the death and resurrection of Lazarus (John 11:4, 40-44) and he would be glorified in the death of Jesus, and he will be glorified forever by all the redeemed (Ephesians 3:21).
The glory of God is the character or attributes of God - the amazing reality of who he is; so to say that Jesus died for the glory of God is to say that Jesus died to display the beauty of who God is for the eternal joy and satisfaction of our souls.
This is why Jesus came to die - to glorify God - to display the immeasurable value and beauty of God so that our souls might find joy and satisfaction in him forever.
A. It Demonstrates the Justice of God (v. 31a)
A. It Demonstrates the Justice of God (v. 31a)
Jesus’s death glorifies God by displaying the justice of God. Sin had to be punished by the righteous wrath of God, and Jesus bore that punishment and wrath in our place when he died on the cross.
Serves as the Basis on Which God Judges the World.
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
When we stand before the judge, as everyone will, our response to Jesus and his death on the cross will serve as evidence either for our justification or condemnation.
If we trust in Jesus and his atoning death for us, then his death has satisfied the wrath of God against us for our sin, and we have eternal life and a right relationship with God.
But those who reject Jesus and do not trust him, they will bear God’s wrath against them for their sins, and they will be eternally separated from God in the torment of hell.
The cross is the dividing line - either God’s justice will be satisfied in the death of his Son for you, or his justice will be satisfied in your eternal punishment. But make no mistake — his justice will be satisfied.
B. It Demonstrates the Power of God (v. 31b)
B. It Demonstrates the Power of God (v. 31b)
Jesus’s death glorifies God by displaying the power of God. The power of God is demonstrated by his victory over sin, death, and the devil.
Is the Cause of Satan’s Downfall.
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
Satan would no longer have an audience in heaven’s courtroom as he did during the OT period (Job 1-2, 1 Chronicles 21, Zechariah 3); instead, this is the beginning of the end for Satan, as the serpent has been dealt the death blow promised in Genesis 3:15-
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
When Jesus says that the ruler of this world will be cast out, this seems to be referring to the events of Revelation 12.
In Revelation 12, John sees a vision of a woman in labor with a child, and a great red dragon ready to devour the woman’s child. He tells us clearly that the dragon is the ancient serpent (from Eden)—namely the devil, or Satan, the accuser of the believers. The woman may symbolize either humanity in general or more specifically the nation of Israel, and the child clearly refers to Jesus Christ, the promised seed of the woman who would crush the serpent’s head.
The dragon fails to kill the woman’s child, and instead it tells us that he was caught up to God in heaven — probably referring to the ascension of Jesus 40 days after his death and resurrection, when he ascended to the right hand of God and sat down on his throne as King.
After that it tells us in v. 7-12:
7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
So by the death of Christ, Satan was defeated and cast out of heaven down to earth, where he now has only a short time to continue fighting against God and his people. He knows that his time is short.
Hebrews 2 also tells us that it was through Christ’s death that he defeated the devil and conquered death:
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
C. It Demonstrates the Mercy and Love of God (v. 32)
C. It Demonstrates the Mercy and Love of God (v. 32)
Jesus’s death glorifies God by displaying the mercy and love of God.
Is the Means by Which God Draws His People to Himself.
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
When I am lifted up — raised up on a cross in public shame to die (the people understood that he meant he was going to die)
And he had said this before:
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.
I will draw all [people] to myself (Greek just says “all”)
(“all without distinction, not all without exception”)-
“He will draw indiscriminately. Those saved will include not only Jews, but also those from every tribe, language, people, and nation.”
44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
(The Father draws his people to himself through the cross of Christ.)
Jesus was on a mission to gather all of his sheep, all of his people, not just the Jewish ones, but people from every tribe, language, people, and nation.
16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
4. The Death of Christ Delivers Us from Darkness (v. 35-36)
4. The Death of Christ Delivers Us from Darkness (v. 35-36)
35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
The call of Christ then and now is, “Come to the Light!”
Jesus is the light. If you come to him, you will have his light in you, and darkness (the devil, sin) will not overcome you.
Application
Trust in Christ’s death in your place for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
Thank God for the willing obedience of Christ who suffered and died in our place.