To Glorify God
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last week we learned about the sabbath day, it’s importance to the christian in our sanctification and we learned about God the son’s complete submission to the will of God, and how that perfect execution of God’s will through Christ is a perfect picture and revelation of the mind and will of God. Christ puts God the father on display if you will, through his perfect execution of obedience.
This week we will tie into that last theme. We will continue with this narrative defense if you will that Jesus gives to the Jews, the pharisees, his accusers. If you’ll remember, He has healed an invalid on the sabbath. The Jews are seeking to persecute him because of this, yet become enraged when Jesus claims deity by referring to God as his Father, pater. And Jesus doesn’t back off of His claims, instead he elevates them
Today this passage will be talking about life and death. Few topics are more important than this. Is there life after death? Is there such a thing as destiny? Do our actions in this life matter after we die? I assert to you that now as much truth matters, God’s truth. Our country is rife with confusion and denial about this topic.
There are two senses of time with which this passage is dealing, two places on the timeline. V.24 speaks of present tense, those who believe have passed. So When I look at v.25, I again am presented with 2 differing times or states. Jesus is speaking of a coming hour, and also of an hour that is already here.
Jesus is going to cover 3 things in this passage.
There is a day of actual physical judgement coming to every human who ever lived
the father has granted Jesus the authority to execute judgement
This resurrection means life for some, but judgement for others.
There is inherent tension in christian eschatology between the already and the not yet. Jesus lays claim here to the fact that the dead will hear the voice of the son of God, and those that hear will live. Now, in both senses of already and not yet this is true. In several verses the lens of time will be oriented toward the future. however, In this verse it is safe to say that presently there are those walking dead, those dead in their trespasses, who will hear the voice of the son of God, repented and believed that it was the son of God, that they were sinful, that He was holy and righteous and that they needed mercy and grace! These words are none other than the Voice of God whose life giving power mediates a life giving spirit to the dead.
“We see, in these verses, how rich and full are the privileges of the true hearer and believer. Such a man enjoys a present salvation. Even now, at this present time, he “hath everlasting life.”—Such a man is completely justified and forgiven. There remains no more condemnation for him. His sins are put away. “He shall not come into condemnation.”—Such a man is in an entirely new position before God. He is like one who has moved from one side of a gulf to another: “He is passed from death unto life. “
Ryle, J. C. (1879). Expository Thoughts on John (Vol. 1, p. 290). New York: Robert Carter & Brothers.
For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Verse 26
For, is important. How does the Son exercise divine judgment and generate resurrection life by his powerful word?. Well, like God, he has life in himself. God is self-existent. He is always the living God. We are only created creatures, our life comes from God, and he removes it as easily as he gave it. But in Christ alone, God has imparted life-in-himself. (1:4) ‘in him was life’. This is an act only belonging to eternity, a part of the eternal Father/Son relationship. 1 John 1:2:
English Standard Version Chapter 1
2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us
Ryle, J. C. (1879). Expository Thoughts on John (Vol. 1, p. 290). New York: Robert Carter & Brothers.
tells us that God as written eternity on a man’s heart.
John, Volumes 1 & 2 Christ’s Authority to Judge
God does not receive life from some outside source, but he is self-existent as the source of all life. Jesus says that the Father “has granted” that the same should be true of him—an awesome claim to deity
God has imparted life-in-himself to the son, and has given him authority to judge. more on that. But there is additional ground for this gift that is provided: God the Father grants authority to Jesus because he is the Son of Man. John is in all likelihood making an allusion the prophetic naming of in Daniel 7:13-14
13 “I saw in the night visions,
13 “I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed
that shall not be destroyed”
Verse 27
John, Volumes 1 & 2 Christ’s Authority to Judge
This, too, was an astounding claim to deity that Jesus’ original hearers could not and did not mistake. It ought also to shape our thoughts, so that while we think of Jesus with love and gratitude, we also think of him in reverent awe, the Son of Man who receives from God the throne of the universe forever
Many have argued that Jesus is merely a moral teacher, whose lessons are timeless. That argument cannot stand in light of this verse. It is also argued that because of his humanity that he is entrusted judgement, due to his keen insight of human nature due to his incarnation. both of these positions cannot hold in light of this verse.
CS Lewis:
CS Lewis:
“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic … or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse.… Let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
v. 27 is clear that God has given authority to Jesus to execute judgement. Jesus has the singular goal in mind of glorifying God by doing his will. When we come to stand before Jesus, his motive will not be our well being but God’s will and glory. For those who stand in sin, He will glorify God by their eternal condemnation. For those who are cleansed by his blood, Christ will judge and glorify God by declaring our justification. Our sins have already been punished on the cross. And remember, as I talked at some length last week, it is not only God’s grace that grands us claim to heaven, it is his justice, which is fulfilled by Christ.
tells us that God as written eternity on a man’s heart. Do all people have a knowledge of an end. I hear so many are confused on this matter. But I think Jesus is laser sharp here about this point. At his final coming, the final judgement, he will summon all dead, every single person who has ever died, will be brought before hime in judgement. If the saviour can already do it to souls, He most certainly do it to bodies.
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
English Standard Version Chapter 12
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Rev
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.
Christ’s people will not be condemned for their sins although they will present their good deeds to Christ and be rewarded according to them. Paul explains this:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
We
How wonderful to think that Christ will not forget our good works and service offered to him in faith, and the world that despises us now will one day witness Christ’s own blessing on our lifestyle of obedience. How important to have the view that our actions in this time matter.
The term “resurrection of judgement” is clearly referring to hell. It is important to note here that many believe that hell simply means you cease to exist, total annilhation if you will. This text clearly debunks this false assumption. Hell is going to be a conscious, carnal experience of bodily torment for all condemned by God.
And he called out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he could dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am suffering pain in this flame!’
Understanding life after death tells us not just how to die or what to expect... it tells us how to live.
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
Beloved,
understand what a privilege and hope that the christian has in facing both life and death.
Sin is everywhere. Sin and temptation are crouching at your door. The temptation of apathy, laziness, the sin of lust, idolatry, covetousness. Your duty and priveledge as a christian it to carry forward the gospel of God, for his glorification, that Christ’s redeeming work may be carried out in those who hear. I may be calvinistic in my beliefs, but this doesn’t excuse, it all the more confirms my need to carry the gospel to those living in darkness.
If you believe the words we have just read, live it. If you don’t live it, you don’t really think it.
I have a short time to glorify God on this earth. I am going to live myself to death for those in that pew, and to fulfill the role God has given me. Paul compares the Christian life to a race, a marathon…you do not slow down at the end, you stretch and burn to the finish.
I don’t know how to emphasize enough this present gift of live. God pours out blessings on us every day:
Smiles and moments with my children, rain, sunsets, the smell of fresh sap on your hand, Jonathan’s giggles, the smell of the forest after fresh rain, family, comedy, tears. We try in vain to capture them all on a million photos that will only creep up on the amnesia of our human decaying brains.
Stand tall, eyes forward, and step. everyday God pours out more for us. Manna comes new every morning, amen?
Father, now we ask that again we might live lives that are overwhelmed with thanksgiving. We have escaped hell. Let our lives emanate with gratitude and gratefulness to our creator, that the world may know where they stand in light of eternity. Make us bold to proclaim your gospel in order we may act as your ambassadors to those whom you are calling to your Son. Amen.