A Time of Light

Time is a commodity that has been given to every single one of us. We can waste time. We can take advantage of time. We can complain about how time flies as we get older. We can complain about how slow time is going when we’re younger. We can be confused as to where the time has gone. We can panic as we see time getting away from us.

None of us truly understands how to make the best use of the time which we have. However, there is One Who was and is an absolute master of time. Jesus, the creator of time, itself. Jesus knew when to relax with His friends, as well as when to make every moment count.

Today, we’re going to take just a snippet of time from the last week of Jesus’ life on this earth. My desire is that each of us would gain insight into the following truth.

We Need to recognize that the time of light is nearly gone.

The Gospel of John, spends the majority of his writing, focusing on the last week of Christ’s earthly life and a short time following His resurrection.

I recognize that the passage I’ve chosen is dealing primarily with the triumphal entry which would have taken place a week before Christ’s resurrection. However, we are celebrating Easter because we know that Jesus rose from the dead and is alive forevermore. The events leading up to His crucifixion and resurrection are important to understand, as well. These events set the stage for why Jesus came to live among us; to purchase our salvation, guaranteeing it by His resurrection.

A Time of Worship. - 12.12-19

John 12:12–19 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.” 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.”

Slipping back to 12.1, we see Jesus going to Lazarus’ home on the Sabbath. We recall that the Sabbath was to be a time for worship. At this special occasion, Mary offered some of the most wonderful worship when she poured perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. She had assumed the posture of a servant, tending to Jesus’ feet. Here we see Judas, focusing on the worth of the perfume rather than the worship of the Savior. Judas focused on style and methodology, rather than the heart of Mary’s worship.

There are others, in verse 9ff, who came to see Jesus, along with Lazarus. There were also religious leaders there looking for opportunity to kill Jesus and Lazarus.

Sunday comes next, where we see a crowd come to give honor to Jesus as He goes into the city of Jerusalem. Shouts of Hosanna are cried out, which simply means save now. Most likely they were pleas for political freedom, as most of the people did not yet understand Jesus’ real purpose. Sadly, most of them were not interested in heavenly things. We’ll recognize this even more so towards the end of that week.

There are several groups which many might identify with. There are the true worshippers, those who are critical, those who are self-seeking, and even those who are bent on destruction.

The people are not aware, but the time of light is nearly gone.

A Time of Witness. - 12.20-36

John 12:20–36 NASB95

Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast; these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip came and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. “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. “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. “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. “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. “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 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?” So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. “While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.” These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them.

In these verses, we read an incredible amount of instruction given by Jesus. Jesus did not waste time basking in the moments of praise by those who supposedly admired Him. He knew that for many, they gave their admiration only in hopes of Jesus restoring their political freedom. There were, however, some Greeks who were intrigued by Judaism and found themselves wanting to gain an audience with Jesus. It is to this group of Greeks that Jesus responds.

Jesus relates to them that what is upcoming is what is going to bring the most glory to Jesus. Raising Lazarus was nothing. Making water out of wine was not the highlight. Healing the sick and casting out demons was insignificant in view of what was ahead. All of that paled in comparison to what was about to take place. So, what exactly was to take place?

Jesus was going to die and be resurrected. He describes death and resurrection in verses 24-25. The grain of wheat dies, yet is resurrected to produce many more grains of wheat. The one who dies to self, will live eternally. However, Jesus did not mask the fact that what lay ahead was quite troublesome. John 12:27 ““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.” Jesus, in His humanity, knew that the cost He would have to pay for taking upon Himself the sin of the world, would be more horrible than anyone in all time could possibly imagine. And yet, this is why He came into the world in the flesh.

Upon asking that His Father’s Name be glorified, God, the Father spoke approval. Many heard this. Some supposed it to be thunder. Others thought it might have been an angel speaking with Jesus. Then Jesus tells them that this voice was for their benefit.

He continues on in the description of the upcoming events. By the events that were to take place upon the cross, judgment would be executed. By what Christ would do on the cross, Satan would be completely defeated. My friends, there is no excuse for people to refuse to accept Jesus as their personal Savior. There is no excuse for people to continue living in sin. Jesus would take upon Himself all the sins of all humanity of all time; past, present, and future. The cross speaks judgment to those who refuse to believe in the Name of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Now, we come to that glorious verse, John 12:32 ““And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”” Here, we read of the inclusive love of God. Though Jesus is speaking of the fact that He will be lifted up on a cross to die, He is saying even more than that. His work on the cross will draw all men to Himself. It’s almost as if you can hear a collective gasp from those who were listening. Remember that the people listening to Him at this time were the Greeks who had been interested about Judaism and the ways that they could get to heaven. Jesus is informing them that it is not in Judaism in which they can get to heaven. It is through Him. In other words, the Greeks who were listening, now knew that they were included in those who had the opportunity to come to Jesus for salvation. Christ was going to lay down His life on the cross for Jews and Gentiles.

However, even with their knowledge of Scripture, they were somewhat confused about how God’s Son, Who lives forever, could die. John 12:35–36 “So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. “While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.” These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them.” Jesus’ response shows the importance of responding to Jesus while there is still time.

Conclusion

Today, we celebrate Resurrection Sunday, or Easter. For the follower of Jesus Christ, we celebrate every day because of the Resurrection. Everything we’ve discussed this morning has the Resurrection of Jesus Christ as the proof that what Jesus did on the cross was completely sufficient to purchase yours and my salvation.

We gather together here every Sunday to celebrate the fact that because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have hope for life eternal. We have the Holy Spirit Who indwells us, teaching us, guiding us, comforting us, and sometimes convicting us, in order that we might be transformed more and more into the image of Jesus Christ.

My friends, He has risen! He has risen indeed!