SF070 - CHRIST'S HOUR HAS COME (John 12 20-36)
Christ’s Hour Has Come
May 26, 2002
John 12:20-36
Introduction
For the three years of His ministry Jesus has consistently told His followers that His time had not yet come, in today’s study He announces that it has come. However, the coming of the Lord’s “time” did not mean what his followers had hoped. They had hope for a conquering king, but He would be a suffering servant instead.
1A. The Visit of the Greeks (12:20-26)
1B. A plea (12:20-24)
These Greeks were Greek speaking Gentiles, who were most likely God-fearing Gentiles that had come to Jerusalem for the Passover.
They made a spontaneous request (12:20-22).
Ø It may have been that Philip spoke Greek or that these Gentiles lived in Galilee.
Ø Philip went to Andrew and they both went to Jesus.
Philip and Andrew received a specific reply (12:23-24).
Ø We are to see the Lord glorified (12:23).
These Greeks were representative to the “other sheep” that Jesus referred to in John 10:16.
Ø We are to see the Lord crucified (12:24a).
Pink writes, “There must be suffering before glory; the cross before the crown.”[1]
Ø We are to see the Lord’s fruit multiplied (12:24b).
These Greeks represent the great harvest of souls that the Lord’s death would purchase.
2B. A paradox (12:25)
Allow me to quote Boice on this text.
The most interesting feature of this verse is that it contains a contrast that is not apparent in the English translation. The first word for life is psuche, which refers to the life of the mind. We call it the ego. It means the human personality that thinks, plans for the future, and charts its course. Jesus is saying that this is what must die. In other words, the independent will of man must die, so that the follower of Christ actively submits his will to him. The other word is zoe, which, joined to the adjective “eternal,” means the diving life. Every Christian has this eternal or divine life now, but he has it in its fullness only when his entire personality with all its likes and desires is surrendered to Christ. It is close to the same thing to say that the Christian will experience the fullness of God’s blessing only when he consciously and deliberately walks in God’s way.[2]
3B. A principle (12:26)
A personal invitation – “If anyone serves me he must follow me” (12:26a)
Ø To follow Christ requires self-denial. (12:25)
Ø To follow Christ requires service.
Matthew 25:40 The King will answer and say to them, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”
Ø To follow Christ requires holiness.
Matthew 5:48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Ø To follow Christ requires obedience.
John 14:15 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
A pressing motivation (12:26b)
Ø “Where I am, there my servant will be also”
To be with Christ is the greatest motivation a believer can have.
Ø “The Father will honor him”
Matthew 25:21 His lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”
2A. The Voice of God (12:27-36)
1B. The Lord’s distress (12:27)
The Lord’s hour had come, the hour for His crucifixion. More importantly the hour of His bearing of our sin, and that caused Him great pain.
Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
2B. The Lord’s desire (12:28-30)
John Phillips summarizes the significance of the text well.
This is the third time God had now spoken audibly from heaven. The first time was at His baptism, at the commencement of His ministry (Matthew 3:17); the second time was on the mount of transfiguration, at the climax of him ministry (Matthew 17:5); the third time here, at the crisis of His ministry. The first time was when He went down into the waters of the Jordan; the second time was when He was about to come down from the mount; the third time was when He prepared Himself to go down into death.[3]
3B. The Lord’s declaration (12:31)
The prince of this world is Satan.
Ø He is the prince of demons (Matthew 12:24).
Ø He is the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2).
Satan’s hold over this world is broken.
Colossians 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
4B. The Lord’s death (12:32-34)
His death described (12:32-33)
Ø He must be “lifted up” on the cross, this tells of His death, not preaching.
Ø Men are drawn not driven.
Oh, the drawing power of the crucified Christ! How gentle it is! How sweet, how gracious, how quiet, how effective! Men and women are separated from Christ and will now come to him of their will. Yet He draws them to himself and saves them in spite of themselves to the praise of His glory.[4]
Ø All may come; this is not a promise that every individual will be won to Jesus, but rather that all types of people, from every level of life and every race and nation, will come to Him.
His death discussed (12:34)
Jesus identifies Himself as the Son of Man, which was in its simplest form a reference to His humanity, but it also made reference to Daniel’s prophecy of the Messiah.
Ø Jesus used the term to teach that He was preexistent (John 3:13).
Ø He used it to teach about His humiliation and death (John 3:14-15).
Ø He used it to speak of the final judgment (John 5:26-27; Revelation 14:19).
5B. The Lord’s discernment (12:35-36a)
A reminder – Jesus Christ is the world’s light.
Ø Identifies Christ with God (Psalm 27:1; 36:9).
Ø Christ reveals God to the world (John 14:9).
Ø Sets Christ is opposition to the darkness (1 John 1:5-7).
Ø He is the full and genuine light (John 1:9).
A challenge – Believe and walk in the Light.
Ø To believe in the Light is to trust Jesus.
Ø To walk in the Light means to commit oneself to Jesus and following Him continuously.
A warning – Darkness is dangerous
Ø Those who do not follow Christ will ultimately be overcome completely but the darkness.
A promise – Those who believe in the Light will be “sons of Light”
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name
6B. The Lord’s departure (12:26b)
This marks the end of the Lord’s public teaching ministry.
Application
1. As believers, we are to seek opportunities to share the gospel and to urge men to come to Christ.
2. We must remember it is ultimately Christ who “draws” men.
3. If you are an unbeliever and Christ is drawing you to come to Him, don’t delay.
Preparing for Next Week
1. Read John 12:37-50.
2. What is the central design of this passage, John 12:37-50?
3. Why is Isaiah 53 quoted here, verse 38?
4. Why was it “they could not believe” verse 39?
5. Whose “glory” is referred to in verse 41?
6. Did those mentioned in verse 42 have saving faith?
7. When and where did Jesus say what is found in verses 44-50?
8. What is the “commandment” of verses 49, 50?
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[1] Pink, Arthur W., Exposition of the Gospel of John, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975), 676.
[2] Boice, James M., The Gospel of John, Volume 3, Those Who Receive Him, John 9-12, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1985), 941.
[3] Phillips, John, Exploring the Gospels: John, (Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers, 1989), 236.
[4] Boice, 954.