John 12:16-50 | Power in Humility
Notes
Transcript
Today we are continuing in our series in the book of John.
Jesus has just entered Jerusalem
In one week he would be hanging on a cross
Last week we left off with the reminder from Zechariah, the prophecy, that said that the King of Israel would come in humility, riding on a donkey
And the disciples look at this scene, not in encouragement, but in confusion
16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.
This is one of those unique moments in scripture where the wall is broke and we remember that we are reading the personal account of what happened.
John clarifies that the disciples, himself included didn’t understand the picture
They didn’t understand what Jesus was riding in on a donkey
But then he says looking back now, many years later, it all makes sense
I would imagine much of our life will appear the same when after we die
I would imagine we will look back our lives, and specifically certain moments in clarity where we once lived in confusion
Today we face certain trials, and the response is why
But just like John, I think some it will make more sense once we are seeing the whole picture together
EX: Alex and I used to watch the Bob Ross painting videos.
In these videos he would start to paint something and for the first half of the video you think he’s lost his mind
Slowly the scene would start to develop and then just as you think he's about to sign it and move onto the next one.....
He puts a massive brush stroke of paint right across the top of the picture
And you think he’s ruined it
Until he starts to work in the details, and then once again you understand how it fits into the picture
You see he knew what he wanted that picture to look like, and though at certain times it seems he has no idea what he is doing, after the picture is complete it all makes sense
Much of the ministry of Jesus was like this.
And one of the consistent themes that his followed struggled with was this....
Jesus’s humility in light of his power.
They knew he was humble
They also knew he was powerful
And much of the confusion in his ministry came from his followers expecting him to portray one of these when he was actually portraying the other
Like when he rode the donkey into Jerusalem
The city had gathered
The people were celebrating
They were expecting an expression of power
instead he expresses humility
But also last week we looked at the story of Mary anointing the feet of Jesus
Judas expected humility (them using the money from the perfume to give to the poor)
But Jesus expressed power in being worshiped
And I think if you look closely, you’ll find many of the times in your life, when situations didn’t make sense.....
A result from that, was you learning one of two things primarily, the need for greater humility, or to exalt the power of God and rely on him
And this is something Jesus would continue to teach his followers
17 Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. 18 For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”
20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. 21 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
No we start to see the crowds a little closer.
We have.....
Some who just wanted to see him because he healed Lazarus
Pharisees who wanted him did
And now those who want to see Jesus so much that they go to the disciples asking to see him
And Jesus comes out, stands before all these people, and he says this....
23 But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.
Remember a few weeks ago when we looked at how Jesus was weeping at the tomb of Lazarus
And how Jesus before he enters Jerusalem weeps over the city
He weeps over the man who would soon be raised from the dead
And over the city that would be triumphantly welcoming him
Why?
Because he knew what was coming
Imagine if someone told you that you would be facing the most brutal tortuous death one could physically face, in one week.
There is nothing that would happen during that week that could make you happy
And that would be all you could think about
And Jesus lays it all out
He makes it clear
It’s time
The hour has come that I will be glorified
But he had a few more lessons to share in this last week of his life on earth, and he starts with this...
24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. 25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
The very fabric of life coming from death is built into our world.
The entire food chain is centered around this idea
Things must die, so that life can continue
And it is the same way with planting
EX: Imagine if I were to go and buy a single grain of wheat
And I cared for that grain of wheat so much that I locked it away in a safe
Every once in a while I went and admired it, but I was so scared that something would happen to it that I never touched it
The grain of wheat might be safe, but it’s worthless
Your life might safe
Your career might be safe
Your pleasure might be safe
But that doesn’t mean it has value
Jesus frames this very important concept for the people who were obsessed with the idea of what Jesus could offer them.
He says if you want something of value, something has to be given up.
The grain of wheat is only valuable after it is shoved into the dirt, and left to regrow into something greater
And Jesus says it is the same way with your life
We are obsessed in this culture with comfort
Our entire lives center around achieving more comfort
Yet Jesus says what produces value is not comfort, but death
It is a death to unhealthy habits that results in a healthy body
It is a death to certain pleasures that result in discipline.
It is a death to temptation that results in obedience.
And it is a death to living, that actually results in life.
You say Zach that doesn’t make any sense
Well that’s kinda the point
Jesus is trying to get us to think
To come to reality with a difficult concept
If your love is centered on this life - you will lose it
But if your love is centered on the things outside of this life - you will gain it
It is those who are consumed with this life, who have no desire to submit to God, and to be obedient to the one greater than life itself - who will one day lose the physical life they have, when they die into eternity
But it is those who while they are alive, they are consumed with the things outside of this physical life, serving and submitting to God, who will gain eternal life.
Jesus explains what this looks like in practice...
26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
Now notice this shift in Jesus’s teaching, going back to the glorification of the father
The father will be included in a major way in this story
27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
Jesus has a different tone about him than usual.
He stops sort of mid thought
And reflects personally
He appears to sort of be thinking out loud
He says WHAT DO I SAY - DO I ASK THE FATHER TO REMOVE THIS THING - BUT I CAN’T DO THAT BECAUSE THIS IS WHY I CAME
What an incredible passage of scripture
We get to see into the human mind of Jesus contemplating this immensely difficult struggle
And he is trying to rationalize, knowing he has to go through with the death on the cross but at the same time desiring it could all go away
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU STOOD IN SIMILAR SHOES
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU STOOD BEFORE A TRIAL SAYING MY SOUL IS TROUBLED
AND YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO
AND YOU DON’T KNOW HOW IT WILL END
BUT IN FAITH YOU STAND FIRM IN YOUR PURPOSE - AND YOU RESPOND JUST AS JESUS - I KNOW THAT I MUST FOLLOW THE WILL OF GOD ANYWAYS
That takes a certain amount of strength
TO LOOK INTO THE DEPTHS OF TRIAL AND SAY I WILL FOLLOW GOD ANYWAYS
But you see thats the amazing thing about strength, and about power
True power for the believer - ONLY COMES IN HUMILITY
You want more power in this life?
You want more strength to face the trials of this life?
YOU DON’T GET IT BY BECOMING MORE POWERFUL - YOU GET IT BY REMOVING YOURSELF ENTIRELY, AND LETTING THE ONLY ONE WITHE POWER STAND IN YOUR PLACE
POWER COMES FROM GOD, NOT WITHIN US
AND THAT IS WHY THE ONLY WAY WE CAN GAIN POWER OVER OUR LIFE IS NOT BY TRYING TO LIVE STRONGER, ITS BY DYING TO SELF
That’s what Jesus was saying
You want the ultimate prize, the ultimate hope, eternal life - YOU DON’T GET IT BY BEING STRONGER - YOU GET IT BY BECOMING WEAKER, WEAK TO THE POINT OF DEATH SO THE POWER OF GOD CAN BE MADE PRESENT
And what is most encouraging to the believer is that we are left not to expect only a future power of this life,
but we have the record of God’s power in the past through scripture,
we have the promise of his power being shown in the future,
and we can experience his power now
19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
It is through the presence of the holy spirit within us that we can have power over...
temptation
worry
deception
physical needs
God provides these things through the power of his spirit now
And the father did the same for Jesus in an incredible way
We forget sometimes that the son was a son to his father
Yes they are both God
But the son loved the father and the father loved the son, and he cared for him like a father cares for his son
And his son is in the midst of a serious mental struggle
So he shows him a little power
28 Father, glorify Your name.”
Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”
The father audibly speaks to the son, and though this wasn’t the reason for it, it no doubt gave Jesus a great amount of comfort.
Its comforting to hear the voice of someone who has the power to make a problem go away, when you are in the midst of it.
But notice God didn’t make the problem go away
He didn’t tell Jesus there was another way
He says with power and boldness - I HAVE GLORIFIED MY NAME, AND SOON I WILL DO IT AGAIN THROUGH YOU
I’ve seen a video circulating recently by a pastor named Josh Howerton, where he shared this outlook. He said...
“ When God wanted to make David a king he didn’t give him a crown he gave him a Goliath. When God wanted to raise Joseph to the palace he didn’t give him a shortcut he gave him prison. When God wanted to make Esther a queen he didn’t give her comfort he gave her a crisis. When God wanted to make Moses a leader he didn’t give him a stage he gave him a wilderness.”
And while I do agree with most of what Josh Howerton says and I think he is a great preacher and leader from what I know I think there is a serious error in this way of thinking.
The idea is that if God wants you to be stronger, he will put things in your life to make you stronger.
But the problem is this results in us relying on our own strength, regardless of the means.
WE ARE CALLED TO RELY ON THE POWER OF GOD, NOT OUR POWER BY THE MEANS OF GODS DOING
EX: IF I GO SIT IN A MUSCLE CAR AND I WANT TO WIN A RACE WITH SOMEONE, I DON’T GO LIFT WEIGHTS FIRST TO MAKE SURE I AM STRONG ENOUGH, I START THE CAR AND LET IT’S POWER WIN THE RACE, AND NO AMOUNT OF PERSONAL STRENGTH WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE
No please don’t misunderstand me that God doesn’t grow us through trials, he absolutely does.
But is not limited by our personal power to accomplish his way, BECAUSE WE HAVE NONE APART FROM HIM
And I know that to be the case because in every one of these examples there are serious biblical flaws
When God wanted to make David a kind he didn’t give him a crown he gave him a goliath
NO GOD MADE DAVID A KING WHEN HE COMMANDED SAMUEL TO GO TO DAVID AND ANOINT HIM KING
GOD MAKING DAVID A KING HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH GOLIATH, HE WAS ALREADY ANOINTED
AND THEN SAMUEL SAID HE WAS ANOINTING DAVID BECAUSE GOD LOOKS AT THE HEART, NOT AT THE PERSONS POWER
When God wanted to raise Joseph to the palace he didn’t give him a shortcut he gave him prison.
ACTUALLY WHEN GOD WANTED TO RAISE JOSEPH TO THE PALACE HE GAVE HIM THE INTERPRETATION OF A DREAM THAT ALLOWED PHARAOAH TO TRUST HIM
IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WHERE JOSEPH WAS BEFORE THAT
When God wanted to make Esther a queen he didn’t give her comfort he gave her a crisis.
GOD DIDN’T GIVE ESTHER A CRISIS TO MAKE HER QUEEN SHE WAS ALREADY QUEEN
AND IT WAS ONLY BY HIS POWER IN GIVING HER COURAGE THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO SAVE HER PEOPLE
When God wanted to make Moses a leader he didn’t give him a stage he gave him a wilderness.”
NO WHEN GOD WANTED TO MAKE MOSES A LEADER HE CAME TO HIM IN A BUSH AND SAID GET OUT OF THIS WILDERNESS, GO TO THE STEPS OF PHAROAH, PUT YOURSELF IN FRONT OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND PROCLAIM MY POWER TO THEM
HE ABSOLUTELY GIVE HIM A STAGE, AND HE GAVE HIM THE STAGE TO PROCLAIM HIS POWER
Our purpose is not to get stronger in this life, our purpose is to glorify God, and lift him up.
AND WE DO THAT NOT BY EXALTING OURSELVES BUT BY LOWERING OURSELVES SO HIS POWER CAN SHOW INSTEAD
IT IS THE POWER OF GOD THAT WE LIVE TO EXALT, AND ANY STRENGTHENING OF OURSELVES IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS OR IN OBEDIENCE, IS ONLY TO UPLIFT GOD EVEN MORE
11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power,
19 The Lord God is my strength;
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
And in the moment as Jesus stands here, troubled at heart, just hearing the voice of his father, he had every right to say....
I TOLD YOU SO
But notice his response...
29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”
30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.
How in the world, could Jesus, having just been openly, and audibly glorified by the father in front of all of these people
Be in such humility to recognize the voice was actually for the benefit of the people
Even in this moment, he is thinking of others
And he realizes the father did this so the people would believe
And Jesus takes this opportunity to show the power of God.
The voice of God has just come from heaven, and in humility he uses this a time to set the record straight
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.
HAVING JUST HEARD THIS VOICE FROM HEAVEN, THE PEOPLE’S MINDS ARE PRIMED, AND HE UTILIZES THIS MOMENT TO REMIND THEM
JUDGEMENT IS COMING
SATAN WILL BE CAST OUT
AND THE KING WILL RULE OVER THIS WORLD
But notice the specific wording
He says he will be lifted up from the earth
You might think he is talking about some future moment of power
Maybe his second coming
But he says NOW is the judgement of the world
NOW the ruler of this world will be cast out
I AM lifted from this earth to draw all people to myself
He isn’t talking about some future event
He is talking about what would happen in just a few days
He would die on a cross, taking the judgement of the world on himself
Satan and Death would be conquered, no longer having a hold on this world like he has
And all would be called to believe in him
I hope you are getting the picture
Jesus is stating three incredible displays of power
Judgement of the world
The ruler of the world being conquered
People from the whole earth coming to serve him
But he does it all by being nailed to a cross
His power came in his humility
And yours does too
You want power in this life
Don’t try to strengthen yourself
Humble yourself
You want your life to mean something
Don’t be consumed with living a greater life
Be consumed living for what is greater than this life
The people didn’t understand Jesus, so he tries to clarify once again,...
34 The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”
35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in 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.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.
He is making it clear, the time is short
Very short
He will only be with them a little while longer and he is sharing with them the light
And then he leaves them
37 But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, 38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:
“Lord, who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:
40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,
Lest they should see with their eyes,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”
41 These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.
42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
As was prophesied hundreds of years before, the people won’t believe
Some do, but even the ones who do are afraid to speak of him because of the Pharisees
Its such a discouraging scene, when we look at it in the eyes of Jesus
After 3 years of ministry, he is nearing the end, and it appears like he is right back where he started
They don’t understand, the ones who do are scared and confused, and it appears on the surface like none of it meant anything
And Jesus cries out in the midst of it all....
44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.
Its like a conclusion, of all of his sermons put together
Almost like a last plea with the people, with just a few days remaining he is throwing out everything he could think to teach them
BELEIVE IN ME
BELEIVE BECAUSE OF THE POWER AND AUTHORITY OF HIM WHO SENT ME
I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
IF YOU BELIEVE YOU WILL NO LONGER BE IN DARKNESS
And he continues...
47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”
Now Jesus would do more than what is recorded in the book of John in the following days.
But I love how John organizes scripture in a way that shows us the point of it all
The next story, which we will cover next week, records Jesus in a room with the disciples.
And he would bend down to each of them with a bowl of water, and he would wash their feet
Jesus the one with all the power, humbled himself to the lowest point.
And that was precisely what showed his power
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
His power was exalted, because of his humility.
And as we strive for power and victory in this life, we should remember the example of Christ and what he taught us
That the way for us to have power, is not to strengthen ourselves, but to humble ourselves, and live in the power of God.
