We would like to see Jesus
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The Outline Bible Section Outline Twelve (John 12)
1. Jesus and the disciples (12:20–26)
a. The request (12:20–22): Philip and Andrew tell Jesus that some Greeks desire to see him.
b. The response (12:23–26): The Savior speaks of his impending death.
2. Jesus and the Father (12:27–29)
a. The request (12:27–28a): Jesus asks the Father to “bring glory to your name!”
b. The response (12:28b–29): The Father reassures the Son with a loud voice from heaven that is heard by the crowd that this indeed will be done.
3. Jesus and the Passover crowd (12:30–50)
a. The first session (12:30–36)
(1) Jesus tells them both the world and Satan will soon be judged (12:30–31).
(2) He will save men by way of the cross (12:32–34).
(3) They need to accept him before it is too late (12:35–36).
Introduction
Introduction
The uncertainty of our times and our wish for truth and justice.
Jesus and the Disciples ()
Jesus and the Disciples ()
Jesus and the Disciples ()
Jesus and the Disciples ()
The Request - () Philip and Andrew tell Jesus that some Greeks desire to see him. The term “Greeks” could mean anyone who was not born a Jew. Some may be what was termed “God fearers” which means they were interested in the Jewish faith but no more than that. Others also known as “proselytes” are those who had actually been converted to Judaism. I believe that this question is the key to understanding this whole passage.
The Response - The Saviour speaks of His impending death. This on the face of it is a strange reply not bearing any relationship to the question. I do believe there is an answer to this and understanding it is very important. The key being that those asking the question are not Jews. First let’s look at the question “we would like to see Jesus”. Why would they want that? After all, this Jesus has repeatedly said that he had primarily come to the Jews, and most if not all of his dealings with people had been with the Jews. When he had first sent out the twelve he said in:
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.
Again he says to the Syrophoenician woman
“First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
Mark 7:27
He told the woman of Samaria
You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.
John
On the other hand, Jesus had healed the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman at her request, and apparently he had gone out of his way not only to reach the woman of Samaria but also to preach to her entire town.
We must understand that Jesus was fulfilling the OT prophecies. He knew that the prophecies foretold that after rejection by the Jews the Gentiles would be invited into the kingdom. ‘The hour has come’. This is the key to understanding this passage, Jesus was entering this final week of his ministry and the Jews are going to reject him so this is the time for the “Greeks” or “Gentiles” to be invited into His kingdom. We see in the book of Revelation what the people of God sing to Jesus:
And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”
If you wish to see Christ glorified, seek to help others find him. Lead them to Jesus. I am sure that if you do not, Jesus is still honored by your praise of him for saving you. At least I hope you are praising him for that. But what if you also lead others to him? In that case, I am convinced that even your praise will be better; and, besides that, there will then be two or more voices to give him glory.
If you wish to see Christ glorified, seek to help others find him. Lead them to Jesus. I am sure that if you do not, Jesus is still honored by your praise of him for saving you. At least I hope you are praising him for that. But what if you also lead others to him? In that case, I am convinced that even your praise will be better; and, besides that, there will then be two or more voices to give him glory.
Let’s have a closer look at verses 23-25. Here Jesus talks of being “glorified”. What does this mean? Well to glorify means “to make great” and this is exactly what the Father did for the Son. He brought Him back from the dead and seated Him at His right hand. He glorified Him. He made him great.
As we look at verse 24 the main analogy drawn is that of a grain of wheat being useless until it dies and then it produces more seed and from that much is produced bread and all sorts of other products. It was only when Jesus is willing to suffer for the cause God has set before Him. It suggests that His value is substantially less if He is unwilling to follow through on God’s will. It is the same for us. God has a purpose for all of us and if we refuse it and go our own way we will be sewing an eternity in hell as opposed to heaven. We all have eternal life, the question is where do you want to spend it? Jesus says in verse 26 that it is only those who follow Him and serve Him who will the Father honour. Serving your own self interest isn’t an option.
Illustration - Many years back I used to regularly go and watch Middlesex play cricket. I used to sit in the members stand for these games and wanted to become not only a member of Middlesex but also a member of the MCC. This would mean that I could also use the lovely old pavilion at Lord’s for the test matches that England play there. The problem was that the waiting list was years long. Possibly even up to 20 years I would have to wait before I would be invited to become a member. This is something like what we are seeing in today’s passage. Up to this point only a few Gentiles had been invited into the kingdom. But now unlike the MCC the time had come to throw open the gates and all would be accepted irrespective of your nationality or background.
Illustration - Many years back I used to regularly go and watch Middlesex play cricket. I used to sit in the members stand for these games and wanted to become not only a member of Middlesex but also a member of the MCC. This would mean that I could also use the lovely old pavilion at Lord’s for the test matches that England play there. The problem was that the waiting list was years long. Possibly even up to 20 years I would have to wait before I would be invited to become a member. This is something like what we are seeing in today’s passage. Up to this point only a few Gentiles had been invited into the kingdom. But now unlike the MCC the time had come to throw open the gates and all would be accepted irrespective of your nationality or background.
Application - The time is still here. The gates are still open. Yet this will not always be the case. A day is coming when Jesus will return, then it will be too late for anyone who hasn’t come to Christ for the forgiveness of their sin. The gospel is still being preached throughout the whole world both to Gentiles and Jew alike. The question is do you want, like those Greeks, to see Jesus? This is a crucial question for anyone sitting here tonight. Do you want to see Jesus? Not just to see pictures of him depicted in Church windows, do you want to see him and if you do are you willing to start a relationship with Him? Has the hour come for you to commit your life to Jesus?
Application - The time is still here. The gospel is still being preached throughout the whole world both to Gentiles and Jew alike. The question is do you want, like those Greeks, to see Jesus? This is a crucial question for anyone sitting here tonight. Do you want to see Jesus? Not just to see pictures of him depicted in Church windows, do you want to see him and if you do are you willing to start a relationship with Him? Has the hour come for you to commit your life to Jesus?
Jesus and the Father ()
Jesus and the Father ()
The Request - Jesus asks the Father to “bring glory to your name”. Jesus even though He knows what’s coming to Him later in the week, still is willing to carry on. He says it is the reason He came. Many today look to Jesus as a great teacher, an example for us to follow, and to some degree that is right. But it is only right up to a point, Jesus came and was crucified for our sins. He came with that primary purpose. We are to believe that. It is no good to follow Jesus teaching, example etc and say “oh no, God is not cruel, blood is not required for my sins to be forgiven, that is barbaric”. Many including the liberal side of the church believe this. They cannot believe that their sin is such that they must cost Jesus His life. Well, as much as we may not like the idea, this is the truth expressed repeatedly in the Bible. Christ came to die once for all, so that those who believe could have eternal life. How much did this cost the Father? I don’t any of us can really know what it cost for the Father to forgive us of our sins through the torture, death and separation cost of the cross. I have sometimes thought would I give the life of my son or daughter for those who hate me? It is a truly awful thought, but how much closer must the Father and Son be? They have been together from eternity past, there was never a time when they weren’t together. Yet the Father planned this for the Son. Our sin cost more than we could ever know. Is God barbaric then? No, how dare people who so flippantly say these things tell God what he should and shouldn’t do. That is a major part of the problem, man thinks he can force God into a box that he understands. God will not be boxed, and if it took the Son to die for our heinous sins then that is what it took. We shouldn’t be so arrogant to think that it wasn’t necessary. He is a holy God and sin must be punished and dealt with before the sinner can come into His presence. Jesus dealt with it and is now glorified for it. He will continue to bring glory to the Father in His second coming and when he judges the living and the dead.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3
This self giving of His life for sinners is the reason He is now glorified, yes He set us an example but primarily and as it is said in Isaiah He was punished for our transgressions and by His stripes we are healed.
The Response - The Father reassures the Son with a loud voice from heaven that is heard by the crowd that this indeed will be done.
What about us? What are we to do when we feel troubled? When all hope seems lost? I think Boyce puts it well in his commentary:
We read that the soul of Christ was troubled. Well, is our soul ever troubled? Is it likely to be troubled in the days ahead? What are we to do in such circumstances? What are we to do when relatives die? When sickness strikes? When we lose our job? When enemies abuse us and friends fail to understand? What shall we do?
We learn from the Master, who when his soul was troubled breathed this prayer, “Father, glorify your name.” In other words, if I must lose my health, glorify your name by my sickness. If I must lose my wealth, glorify your name by my poverty. If I must lose my good name, glorify your name by my humiliation. If I must lose my life, glorify your name by my death and send the resurrection.
Boice, J. M. (2005). The Gospel of John: an expositional commentary (p. 948). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
Did you ever experience losing your parents as a child, maybe in a market, or crowded street. You panicked and felt abandoned, but then you see your Father and all is well, you rush to Him and all is well.
Jesus and the Passover Crowd ()
Jesus and the Passover Crowd ()
The first session
Jesus tells them both the world and Satan will soon be judged ()
He will save people by way of the cross () Jesus has drawn more people to himself than all those things which are popular. Hitler, sports etc. They come and go Jesus remains. Verse 32 shows us the answer why this is.
They will need to accept him before it’s too late ()
They will need to accept him before it’s too late ()
They will need to accept him before it’s too late ()
Conclusion
Conclusion