Sermon Tone Analysis

Sunday, October 12, 2008

*An unsatisfactory believing*

John 12:37-43

/37 //Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in Him.

-- 39 //For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: -- 42 //Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in Him.

But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 //for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.          /John 12:37, 39 & 42-43 NIV

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Would you *open your Bibles*, please, to the *Gospel of John* chapter 12? Our text this morning comes from *verses 37-43* of John’s Gospel.

I would like us to *read this passage together* and I invite you to *stand as we read*.

This is the *Word of God* and we read it in the name of the *Father*, the *Son* and the *Holy Spirit.*

___

We find ourselves in the *middle of the Gospel* of John.

We are *three years into the public ministry* of Jesus.

And here in *chapter 12*, the chapter that stands as *the turning point of the Gospel*, we find the Apostle John helping us see the *initial stages* of the *culmination of Jesus’ life and ministry*.

The *Passover looms on the horizon*.

Chapter 12 is *the gathering point* of all that is about to happen.

Just as the *people* were making their way *to Jerusalem from all directions*, so a *wide variety of events and people* were responding and reacting to *the central character* of the *upcoming Passover*, even though *most people did not understand* that Jesus was the ultimate *Passover Lamb*.

So, *John 12 opens* with the *banquet* given by *Mary, Martha, Lazarus* and Simon to *honor* Jesus, probably for the miraculous *raising* back to life of *Lazarus* just a few weeks earlier.

It was at that dinner that *Mary* takes some very expensive *perfume* and pours it *on Jesus’ feet* and wipes His feet *with her hair*.

Her action was *immediately challenged* by Judas Iscariot.

But Jesus *defends her extravagant behavior* by announcing that she was *anointing Him for His burial*.

Thus, with the *anointing of Jesus* as the *opening scene* in chapter 12, John is saying that *the focus* of this chapter is the *impending death* of Jesus as the *Passover Lamb*.

His death would be like *the kernel of wheat that dies* and, as a result, bears *much fruit*.

Thus, the *anointing is so extravagant* it makes us aware that *the One being anointed* is indeed the *King* who came to be the *Savior of the world*.

Furthermore, the *implications* of this anointing for *Mary* was that she *sacrificed her life’s savings*, she depleted her *dowry*, demonstrating a *huge commitment* to Jesus as her *Lord*.

Her *worship* of Jesus *came at a great price*.

What this *banquet* also did was *bring together* two hugely popular personalities: *Jesus and Lazarus*, the *Raiser* of the dead and *the* *raised* from the dead.

Thus, when the *word got out* that these two were in Bethany, it is *not surprising* that *crowds of people* made haste to go there.

Among those who gathered were *those* who were *leaning in favor of Jesus*, probably pretty *impressed with Him* and *open* to what He had *to say*.

Then there were *those* who were *very critical of Jesus* and could only see Him as *a threat to their* positions of *power*.

*So threatened* were the *Pharisees* that they not only were *re-energized* in their *determination to kill Jesus*, but as they saw more of their *people going over to Jesus* because of Lazarus, they now *included Lazarus* in their execution orders.

This *burst of popularity* grew into a *parade of sorts* when Jesus decided to *go up to **Jerusalem*.

But, *keep two things clearly in mind* as you envision *what it meant* for Jesus to go *to **Jerusalem*.

First, as much as there was a *friendly crowd welcoming Him*, there was a *hostile crowd determined* to put Him *to death*.

Second, Jesus was *under no illusion about His purpose *for going into Jerusalem.

He was *going there to die*.

And it would be *on His terms*, though His critics and even His friends *wouldn’t figure that out* until later.

Last week I listed the *seven groups of people* whom John mentions as *participants* *during Christ’s entry* into Jerusalem.

These groups provide us with a *rich study in character* as well as presenting us with a *broad cross section of humanity* and a *wide spectrum of responses* and *reactions* to Jesus.

Everything from the *sacrificial worship* we saw in *Mary of Bethany* to the *devilish behavior of religious leaders *who were consumed by their *envy and hatred*.

Had we been *sympathetic bystanders* during these events, it’s likely that we would be *experiencing a wide range of emotions*, much like what some of us are experiencing as we follow the *polls of the candidates* for our *upcoming election*.

One day it *looks like it’s all over* for our candidate.

Than, the next, it *looks like victory* is in sight.

And when it *changes*, so do our *emotions*.

I suggest that had we *been in **Jerusalem** that week*, our *emotions* early in the week would have been rather *upbeat*.

Jesus was *exhibiting strong confidence* and wasn’t sidetracked by his opponents.

But, by the time we get to the *middle of the week*, we would have begun to be *filled with anxiety*, wondering if Jesus was be able to *triumphant over the overwhelming odds* against Him.

Jesus was *being very direct* with the people about what was going to *happen to Him in **Jerusalem*.

But, it’s *understandable* if His friends *didn’t really want to hear* the */death/* word.

How could Jesus’ *dying help the cause*?

Yet, He *explained* to them that *every kernel of wheat had to die *if it was going to *bear much fruit*.

If that didn’t make sense, He *expanded that truth* with His statement that /25 //The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life./

So, Jesus wasn’t just talking about *His own death*.

He was speaking *to all of His followers* that there was *a death they*, too, *needed to enter into *to find real, lasting, *eternal life*.

And then with ultimate clarity, *Jesus stationed Himself right in the middle of our paths and created a crisis for each of us*.

He declared Himself to be *the fork in the road* for every human being.

Our *eternal destiny* will be *determined* by our response to this crisis.

*/26 /**/Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, My servant also will be.

My Father will honor the one who serves Me./*/ / 

*Jesus is making an appeal to us* that we *act in faith* and *believe* that our lives will be *better off in the long run* if we will *choose to die with Him*, if we will *give up our rights* to be in charge of our lives and truly *let Him be the Lord* and Master of our lives.

Jesus is saying that when we *love God so much* that He becomes *primary in everything* and our *human existence becomes secondary*, that is when we really *find life*.

If only we could *see that the things of this world *that we hold on to so tightly *will gain us nothing* in eternity.

*Compared* to the *multiplied fruit* of the kernel of wheat that dies, all that this *world offers is nothing*.

*If only we could see*!

Certainly, if we could *see* our behavior would *fall in line*.

Certainly, if *we saw the signs* and miracles that *Jesus did*, we would *believe* in Him and *follow* Him.

Yet, *so many did not*.

In the *text* we focus on *today*, we find ourselves asking, *what more could Jesus have done* to convince these people?

*Why* were so many *still refusing to believe*?

*John 12:37 (NIV) */37 //Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still *would not believe* in Him./

In the *first half* of his Gospel, John highlights *seven miraculous signs* that Jesus did.

He turns water into wine (John 2:1–12)

He heals a nobleman’s son (John 4:46–54)

He heals a lame man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1–17)

He feeds 5,000 (John 6:1–14)

He walks on water, stills a storm (John 6:15–21)

He heals a man blind from birth (John 9:1–41)

He raises Lazarus from the dead (John 11:17–45) [1]

*What more does a person need* to be convinced that Jesus is *worthy to be believed in*, to be trusted?

John is probably *writing with sadness* in his heart when he says,

*John 12:37 (NIV) */37 //Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still *would not believe* in Him./

The *implication is obvious*.

The *problem* was *not* with *Jesus* or with *what He did*.

The problem was *with the people*.

They *willed not to believe*.

They *refused* to believe.

What a *dangerous position* to take.

Surely there are *consequences* when we are *given truth* and we *willfully brush it off*.

It’s *like opportunities*.

Paul says to *make the most* of every opportunity.

Why?

Because *opportunities don’t always repeat themselves*.

*Tomorrow* doesn’t always come or the *circumstances of today* that created the opportunity *may not exist tomorrow* and the opportunity *may not appear*.

To *turn down truth today* may actually be *an eternal rejection* simply because that truth *may not come* our way *again*.

*Why* do you suppose the Scriptures say, *Today* is the *day of salvation*?

*2 Corinthians 6:1-2 (NIV)*

/1 //As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 //For He says, /

/“In the time of My favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.”/

/I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

/

*Today* is the *day of salvation* because we have *no guarantee* for tomorrow.

To *willfully brush off truth* is like *disregarding warnings*.

We have *no guarantee* that we will be given an *additional warning* after the first one before we have to *face the consequences* for ignoring it.