Auto Transcript
Note: This rough transcript was automatically generated by YouTube’s AI algorithm. We provide it here for your convenience, but know it will surely contain errors as it has not been proofread or edited by a human.
Let’s pray together one more time. Great God in heaven, we come to hear the word of Christ, the commandment of the father, because we know it is lifegiving. All life is bound up in Jesus Christ and he imparts it to those who believe. Oh Lord, help us to taste and experience more your everlasting life even by your word this morning in Jesus name. Amen. Amen.
Something you may not know about me is that I have some background in musical theater.
Not only have I enjoyed watching many musicals on video and on stage, but I also performed in a few high school musicals myself. Now, musicals have certain distinctive features. Most obvious one, of course, is that people randomly start singing instead of speaking their lines. But another distinctive feature of musicals is the end of act one showstopper. You see, most musicals performed on stage are performed in two acts with an intermission. And always right before the end of the first act is a climactic song and dance number, a kind of mini finale. Usually this number is the biggest and most dramatic of all the music of the first act. It is a true showstopper and it is meant to accomplish several purposes. Number one, it’s meant to thrill the audience for their continued interest and enjoyment.
Number two, it’s meant to tie together what the audience has seen thus far in the story, even by reprising certain characters, lines, or melodies. And number three, it’s meant to foreshadow what is still to come in the story. For example, in the musical, maybe two sides arrive to a showdown at the end of act one, and now the audience wants to see in act two, what’s the outcome? What’s the outcome of the showdown? Or maybe the end of act one, everything is turned into happily ever after. But the audience then hears and sees a villain skullking in the background, so they know that there’s going to be trouble in paradise in act two.
In some ways, John 12 functions like the end of act one showstopper in the Gospel of John. I mentioned to you previously that the Gospel of John has only two main parts. John 11:19 to John 12, commonly called the book of signs, which is the record of Jesus public presentation to Israel by words and miraculous works. And then John 13 to John 20 which is commonly called the book of glory and is the record of Jesus private preparation of his disciples and a record of Jesus glorification by death and resurrection. So you have these two main parts in John. So you could say they’re like two acts. Thus John 12 is like the finale of act one. And John 12 has the main elements of a showstopper that I just described. The drama of the Gospel of John has reached a mini climax with Jesus entry into Jerusalem for Passover. On the one hand, Jesus is thronged by jubilant Jews proclaiming his long awaited Messiah. And on the other hand, in the shadows, the Jewish religious leaders prepare to kill Jesus immediately.
Furthermore, we have reprised in the chapter many words and ideas from earlier in the gospel. In verses 37 to 43, we see a summary of the effect of Jesus’ public ministry on the Jews. What has been described in John 1:12 and in verses 44 to 50, Jesus presents an appeal using the same truths he has previously proclaimed.
Finally, we have in John 12 clear foreshadowing of what is to come. In act two of this gospel for Jesus, Mary anoints Jesus with perfume for burial. Jesus proclaims that his hour has come, the hour of triumph through suffering and death. And Jesus warns the crowds that the light will be among them only a little while longer.
So, as I say, John 12, especially in verses 37 to 50, is like an act one showstopper, but of course with one crucial difference. Musical act one finales are ultimately pieces of fiction meant to dazzle and entertain. But John 12 is God breathed history arranged and recorded for you so that you might be saved.
This morning we’re going to look at the final part of John 12, the second part of the conclusion of the book of signs where we will hear Jesus final public summary appeal for religious unbelievers to believe in Jesus. So please take your Bibles and turn to John 12 starting in verse 44. I’m calling this message today the book of signs a final appeal. The book of signs a final appeal. John 12:44 to50 is our passage.
Pew Bible page 176 if you’re using that. We’ll go ahead and read the passage immediately. John 12:44. And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in me does not believe in me, but in him who sent me. He who sees me sees the one who sent me. I have come as light into the world so that everyone who believes in me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him.
For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has one who judges him. The word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. For I did not speak on my own initiative, but the Father himself, who sent me, has given me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that his commandment is eternal life. Therefore, the things I speak, I speak just as the father has told me.
These verses together with the previous section verses 37 to 43 form John’s conclusion to the first half of his gospel. Now remember John writes his gospel primarily with religious people in mind even henistic Jews and gentile god-fearers who claim to know and love the one true God but are not sure that they should believe in Jesus.
John will end this uh John will end the whole gospel, the second main portion of his gospel at the finale, the true finale with an explicit call for his readers to believe in Jesus. That’s John 20:es 30-31.
But already at this mini finale, this halfway point in John, John pauses the narrative to press his religious readers to stop behind, stop hiding behind flimsy, supposedly religious excuses and instead believe in Jesus and be saved.
Now, the first way that John does this in John 12:37-43 is by explaining how despite Jesus many deity displaying and messiahship proving miracles, the supposedly religious Jewish nation stubbornly refuses to believe.
John explains that this happened to fulfill prophecy, to manifest judicially hardened hearts, to bring God unexpected glory, and to demonstrate the Jews greater love for the glory of men than for the glory of God. All this is what we talked about last time we were in John together. The first part of John’s conclusion, this pressing on the need to believe in the midpoint of John’s gospel, it happens by this explanation as to why Jesus was rejected.
But the second way that John presses his readers to believe in Jesus at this midpoint is by essentially asking the readers whether they will follow Israel in shocking unbelief or instead respond to Jesus differently. The way John does this is by including next in the gospel one more public appeal from Jesus to religious people to believe and be saved. And this is our new passage, John 12:44-50. The first part of the conclusion, he said, “Here’s why they didn’t believe.” And now in this next part, he says, “But what about you? Will you believe?” And he has Jesus give one more appeal. Now, when exactly Jesus said these words is not totally clear from the text. There’s no indicator that says, “And at this point, he said this or something like that.” Probably Jesus spoke these words sometime in the Passover week after the conversation of John 12 20-36. That’s the last time we have um a clear chronological event in the narrative. So probably this takes place after that. Possibly however Jesus spoke these words earlier or on some other occasion and John brings them forward here now as a final summary appeal of what Jesus has been saying through John 1:12 the book of signs. It is an appropriate summary indeed. You may notice maybe from my reading just now that everything that Jesus says in verses 44 to 50 here has already been spoken in this gospel in one form or another. Thus, in reprising previous words from Jesus, John and the spirit of God are tying up and calling back to mind all that we’ve seen and heard previously in this gospel. It should bring those previous sections back to mind. Here then is the main idea in this final section of John 12, namely verses 44 to 50. John presents a final five-part appeal from Jesus so that you will not remain condemned in religious unbelief. But believe in Jesus and find eternal life. That’s that’s the shocking part. That’s one of the things that John wants us to see. Religious unbelief does not save. It can be actually a fortress that traps you. His purpose, including this five-part appeal from Jesus, is that you will not remain condemned in religious unbelief, but instead believe in Jesus and find eternal life. Let’s look at the first part of Jesus appeal in verse 44. We’ll get right into it. Even the first reason why you should not remain in religious unbelief, but believe in Jesus. And that first part, that first reason is number one, the one believing in Jesus believes in God.
The one believing in Jesus believes in God. Look at the beginning of verse 44. And Jesus cried out and said, just pause there for a second.
This is the third and final time we see the verb cried out used to describe a public appeal from Jesus in this gospel.
Normally when Jesus converses with the Jews, with the crowds, he simply says or speaks or answers. Those are the verbs that are used. But here, as we also saw twice in the feast of booths, John 7:28, John 7:37, Jesus cries out, he calls out, he shouts. Why? Well, a person usually shouts when he’s passionate about something or when he wants people or when he wants to get people’s attention to hear something especially important. Both of these are true for the son of God here and his thoughts to his original listeners and to you and me today. So what should we do? Listen.
Listen as the son cries out to us. Now what important truth does Jesus need to declare to us? We see the first in the rest of verse 44. Jesus cries out, “He who believes in me does not believe in me but in him who sent me.” Notice the first phrase in this portion. He who believes in me. In the original Greek, he who believes is a participle. What’s a participle? It’s a verb that functions like an adjective to describe someone’s ongoing or characteristic action. Thus, we could also translate this opening phrase, the one believing. This phrase is describing someone who believes in an ongoing and characteristic way. He he keeps on believing. He doesn’t believe for a while and then stop. He perseveres in belief and in trust. belief characterizes this person, marks this person. He’s one believing. Okay. Well, in whom or in what does this person keep on believing?
Jesus says, “In me.” What does it mean to believe in Jesus? It means to believe in his person that he is the Messiah, the son of God, the only savior and lord. It means to believe in his word. everything he says about you, about God, about man, about the world, about sin. Specifically, it means believing in his word means believing in the good news that Jesus proclaims the gospel that whoever turns from his own sin, his own self-ruule, and his own self-righteous works to trust in Jesus alone to make him right with God, to make that person right with God, that person will be saved. That’s Jesus gospel. That’s Jesus good news. It’s our good news that we are also commissioned to preach. To believe in Jesus means to believe in his person, to believe in his word, and it also means to believe in his work. That by Jesus obedient life, his substitutionary death, and his triumphant resurrection, the trusting believer is forever saved and safe in Jesus. That’s what it means to believe in Jesus altogether. Then in verse 44, Jesus is describing the person who believes in an ongoing way in Jesus’ person, word and work. Okay. Now, what does Jesus then assert about this kind of perseverant believer? That this person does not believe in Jesus, but in him who sent Jesus. And who is it that sent Jesus? God. God the father. As Jesus has clarified many times before, even in that famous verse, John 3:16, for God so loved the world that he actually, was it not in that verse, um, he gave his only begotten son. He he gave him, he sent him. There are other verses that talk about him sending. The father is the one that sent Jesus. But wait a second. How can Jesus say that the one believing in Jesus does not in fact believe in Jesus, but in the father? Isn’t that a logical contradiction? The one believing in me doesn’t believe in me.
What? Well, Jesus is using an apparent contradiction to emphasize an important point. A point having to do with the son’s incredible oneness, oneness with and submission to his God and father.
Namely, that Jesus is not at all about executing his own agenda, but only the father’s agenda.
One could never speak about the son as if the son were in competition with his father or as if the son were seeking his own glory at the expense of his father.
No. For not only are the father and son intimate intimately united in their triune being, but they are also intimately united in their work in their works in the world. The son only comes to do his father’s will.
Therefore, there is no genuine separation of belief in the son from belief in the father. Jesus underscores this in a dramatic way. If you believe in the son, then you also believe in the father who sent him. And if you claim to believe in the one God and father of all, then you must also believe in his son. They go together. Do you remember how the same truth appeared previously in John’s gospel? John 3:33. John 3:33, John the Baptist says of Jesus, “He who has received his testimony has set his seal to this Jesus testimony that God is true.” That was a striking verse when we first encountered it, right? How do those things to go together? Believing in the testimony of Jesus is essentially to confess that the father is true because their belief in one is tied in belief in the other. Also, John 5:24a, John 5:24a, Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.” Did you hear that again? Do you see how Jesus connected those two things? Hearing Jesus word and believing Jesus word is closely connected is essentially the same as believing in God the Father who sent Jesus.
Thus, positively speaking, a Jew’s faith in God or the faith of any other religious person is God in God is only validated or completed when that person also believes in Jesus.
Negative negatively speaking, a Jew’s faith in God or the faith of any other religious person in God is shown to be incomplete and false when that person refuses also to believe in Jesus.
You know the previous pope of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, he once remarked infamously in a speech, quote, “All religions are paths to God.” I will use an analogy. They are like different languages that express the divine. There is only one God and religions are like languages, paths to reach God. Some are seek, some Muslim, some Hindu, some Christian. End quote.
In many ways that is a popular message.
That is a comfortable message. But I must tell you on the authority of scripture that is a false message. For what will Jesus himself say in John 14:6? John 14:6. I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father but through me.
Brethren, this is Jesus first challenge and appeal to his listeners, to John’s listeners, and to us. If you truly say that you know that you know and love God, you must prove it by believing in him who God sent. If you won’t believe in Jesus, the real Jesus, the Jesus from scripture and not the Jesus of your own imagination, then don’t kid yourself that you believe in God. You do not believe in God because you do not believe in the one that he sent. This is the first part of Jesus appeal. The one believing in Jesus is the one who truly believes in God. The second part of Jesus appeal in verse 45 is closely related. Number two, the one believing in Jesus beholds the father. The one believing in Jesus beholds the father. Verse 45, he who sees me sees the one who sent me. In one way, this verse is simply poetic parallelism to the previous one.
But there is a slightly different emphasis in the idea here that’s worth noting. Notice the beginning phrase, he who sees. In the original Greek, this phrase is, you guessed it, another participle. This is emphasizing continuing characteristic action of a person. In this case, seeing. Actually, the Greek word translated sees here has the idea of seeing with sustained attention. So, we could alternately translate the whole phrase the beginning of verse 45 as the one observing, the one looking at, the one perceiving, or even the one beholding. Now, how does one continually see, observe, or behold Jesus? Because that’s what Jesus says. He who sees me.
Now certainly some people could literally watch and follow Jesus while he was on the earth, but not for long.
Jesus soon goes away. So that can’t be the idea here. It certainly would have been irrelevant for John’s readers for them to hear that continually behold Jesus. He’s gone. I can’t do that in a physical sense. So that’s not that’s not the idea. Rather Jesus is speaking of those who see or behold Jesus continually by faith again by believing in Jesus person, word and work according to what is written in Jesus authorized res revelation the scripture the Bible by faith by reading and believing the scripture and what it says about Jesus person word and work you behold him you continually see him. Okay, that’s the kind of person that Jesus is talking about and he has something to assert about such a person.
What does Jesus say that that one or rather that the one that such a believer really sees is the father. The one who sees me sees the one who sent me the father.
Now again, this is dramatically emphasized, but not to deny that people beholding Jesus by faith are actually beholding Jesus. No, that that is still true. But this is again to emphasize the important truth that behold God the son is also to behold God the father. Now, how can that be? The answer is not, as some early Christian heretics held, and some still do today. The answer is not that Jesus and the father are the exact same person just in different outfits wearing different masks. This is the modalist heresy also known as sebellionism which proclaims that there is no such thing as a trinity just one god who appears in different modes. He’s sometimes the father sometimes the sons the spirit. This cannot be for this view does not fit with scripture. For the father, the son, the spirit, they are all talked about regularly in scripture as loving and communicating with one another. They have real relationship together. And also they act together in different but united ways in the same moment. Clearly at Jesus baptism we have all three members of the trinity acting in different ways. And at the cross we again have the father and son acting in different ways though in unity. So God is not one God in three modes, but neither is he three different gods or one God with special relationship to two other exalted created beings. For otherwise, what Jesus says in verse 45 could not be true.
In the scriptures, God sends many prophets and angelic messengers armed with a measure of the power, authority, and even the glory of God, God the Father. But there is only one in scripture who is said to be the very radiance of God’s glory, to be the exact representation of God’s nature, borrowing some language from Hebrews 1:3. And that one is Jesus the son of God who also appeared in the Old Testament as the angel of Yahweh. Jesus can display exactly the glory of God the father because Jesus himself is God and is an intimate and essential union with the father and spirit. One God and three persons. This is the doctrine of the trinity. Now the trinity is a glorious mystery that we only begin to understand because it’s taught in scriptures but we can say it is the only satisfy satisfactory explanation of Jesus statement here and of others made earlier in this gospel. How can Jesus say the one who sees me sees the father?
It’s because Jesus is in triune unity with the father. And this makes sense with other things that Jesus has already said or has been said about Jesus. John 1 one-2 John 1 one-2. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God. And of course later on in that passage the word is identified as Jesus. John 10:30 John 10:30 Jesus says I and the father are one. And John 10:38b John 10:38b Jesus says the father is in me and I in the father. So Jesus has been saying this all along.
Now, one of the most exemplary prayers in the Bible is the prayer to see God. This was done memorably by Moses in Exodus 33:18. I pray you show me your glory and David in Psalm 27:4. One thing I desire, to remain in the house of the Lord, to behold the beauty of the Lord.
Such really ought to be the heart cry of every true worshipper of God. Even you, if you really love God, God, I want to know you. I want to see you. I want to behold you continually to revel in your beauty, your glory. Well, if that is the heart cry of every true worshipper, guess what? The father has provided a gracious answer to all such prayers. And you know what that answer is? Jesus.
God essentially declares in the revelation of Jesus, you want to see me in my glory, then behold my son and find full satisfaction. I’m essentially characterizing God’s answer in a continued way by God saying, “He is everything that I am, for I am in him and he is in me. We are of the same essence. Behold in him every perfection and thus know every perfection in me. Indeed, this is one of the greatest wonders and gifts of the incarnation.
It’s what we meditated on at the end of John 1:18. Jesus, the divine word in himself reveals and exedutes the glory of God the father. He’s the explainer of God, the expounder of God, the exugesus of the glory of God. Therefore, if you are a religious person, if you claim that you are genuinely hungry to behold your God, what will you do? You will believe in Jesus, for Jesus is exactly what you’ve been looking for. I want to see God.
There he is. But if you behold Jesus and you say, H I don’t see much glory. I’ll divert my gaze somewhere else. Then again, I have to say you should stop kidding yourself that you really want to see God, that you really want to know God because you’re not really wanting to do that. You’re not genuinely religious. You’re not genuinely spiritual. You’re not really looking for God. For as Jesus will say in John 14:9, John 14:9B, “He who has seen me has seen the father.” So here we see Jesus second challenge and appeal to all supposedly religious persons, Jews included. The one believing in Jesus is the one who truly beholds the father. The third part of Jesus appeal to religious persons to believe appears in verse verse 46. Number three, the one believing in Jesus escapes from darkness. The one believing in Jesus escapes from darkness. Verse 46, I have come as light into the world so that everyone who believes in me will not remain in darkness. This part of Jesus’ appeal flows out from the previous one, doesn’t it?
If beholding Jesus is beholding the father and if the father clearly by many scriptures is holy light and glory in his very essence, then Jesus too must be God’s light. Even the very light of life and salvation for all. Indeed, notice how Jesus proclaims in verse 46 that he came into the world into our world as saving light.
Specifically, the purpose Jesus articulates at the end of verse 46 is so that everyone who believes in me will not remain in darkness. What’s implied in that stated purpose? That all mankind that even we ourselves apart from Christ’s intervention can only dwell in darkness.
Not literal darkness, spiritual darkness. By our sinful inheritance and our rebellious forefather Adam, we enter into the life of this world lost in sin, in misery, in spiritual blindness. And we are destined for death and God’s wrath. If we are provided no rescue, we are apart from Christ a people in darkness. That’s what mankind is.
But Jesus came, as he says here, as light so that we might believe in him and not remain in darkness. He’s come to draw us out into his own light, into the very joy, freedom, life of the glory of God.
And this is again the good news of the gospel. And this is what Jesus has been saying in this gospel. The theme of light and darkness has been one of the most prominent ideas thus far in this gospel. And by Jesus mentioning it again, he draws our minds back to previous verses. I’ll just give you two.
There’s many. I’m just going to give you two right now. John 1:4 to5. John 1:4 to5. John writes, “In him, that is the word that is Jesus. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 8:12, which we read earlier in the service. John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.” So, here again is another challenge and appeal to the Jews and all who claim spirituality and religion.
John and Jesus ask, “Do you long for the saving light of God?
Do you recognize that you live in a world of darkness and that you yourself are in the dark, are darkness, and that you have no hope of eternal life apart from God’s intervention? If so, there is good news. Believe in Jesus who came into the world so that you would not remain in darkness. As the Nyine creed memorably says, he is light of light, very God of very God, who for us and for our salvation has descended from heaven. This is so that we might believe in him and be rescued from darkness of every kind, sin, death, misery, wrath, hell. This is wonderful, wonderful news.
And isn’t such rescue, shouldn’t such rescue be the desire of every truly pious person?
If you truly believe in God, if you truly love God, shouldn’t you recognize the darkness of the world and of yourself? And shouldn’t you long for light? If so, Jesus is the answer to your prayers, the fulfillment of your desire. But if a Jew or a Muslim or any other kind of religious person says, “Others may need salvation from darkness, but I don’t.
I not only already have the light by obedience to God’s law, by my study of scripture, by my many prayers, my many repentances, my many alms, my many works. I not already have the light, but I am also a light to others. I teach them. I show them how to find the same light of salvation. I do not need Jesus light. In fact, I am offended that you tell me that I need his light. Let any such religious person beware. For the one who rejects God’s only light must necessarily well what according to verse 36 that one remains in darkness.
If believing in Jesus causes you not to remain in darkness, if you refuse to believe, you remain in darkness. And those who remain in darkness during the short days of this life, they will then remain in darkness for eternity. And the horrifying and grievous torments of hell.
Hell is again and again described as a place of darkness where there is weeping and nashing of teeth continually. But someone might say that’s too cruel. Surely God wouldn’t do that. My friend, this is the heavy price of sin.
This is the weightiness of rejection of God via rejection of God’s most precious son and the only light. Truly for all those who refuse to believe in Jesus and thus reject God’s light, they show that Jesus words in John 3:19 to20 apply to them. John 3:19 to20 Jesus says this is the judgment that the light has come into the world and men loved the darkness rather than the light for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. My friends and brethren, you who I know are religious people, spiritual people, let those words not be true of you, but rather may the next verse be true instead. John 3:21, but he who practices the truth comes to the light that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God. I never earned my way here. I came to the light and anything good that I did, it came from him. It wasn’t for my salvation. It was because of his salvation. So then, thus far, we have discovered three truths from Jesus that ought to cause us to listen to his appeal to believe and be saved.
But in verse 47, Jesus appeal shifts slightly and he begins framing truths negatively, not talking about what is true of those who believe in Jesus, but rather what is true about those who steadfastly refuse to believe. The fourth part of Jesus’ appeal is in verse 47 where we see number four, the one rejecting Jesus tramples on Jesus’ saving heart.
the one rejecting Jesus tramples on Jesus’ saving heart. Look at the first part of verse 47. If anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him. Notice specifically the one Jesus has in mind now as he speaks in this verse. Anyone who hears Jesus sayings or words and does not keep them because keeping is the important part, right?
It’s not merely hearing or merely merely professing agreement, but it is believing with perseverance obedience that is the key. That’s what God is after. So Jesus now has something to say about the one who hears but does not believe and will not keep Jesus word. What does Jesus proclaim about such a person? I do not judge him, Jesus says.
What actually the words are more emphatic in the original Greek I myself do not judge him Jesus says now the Greek word for judge most basically means to decide but it often has the meaning to condemn and that is the sense of Jesus in this context Jesus says I do not condemn him but what Jesus is God isn’t he holy doesn’t he care about those who do wrong who refuse to believe in him. How can Jesus say, “He doesn’t receive or keep my word. I do not condemn him. I myself do not condemn him.” How does that work? Well, let’s hear Jesus own explanation. At the end of verse 47, Jesus continues, “For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” This is profound. Do you hear what Jesus is saying? Though Jesus is the son to whom the father has handed over all judgment of wickedness. John 5:22. And though Jesus therefore has the right to fully and immediately condemn and punish all unbelievers, though these things are true, Jesus proclaims here in verse 47 that he chooses not to do so.
not presently. Why not? Because it is not his purpose in his first coming and it is fundamentally not his heart. Jesus says that he came not to condemn and destroy the world that is the world of humanity us but to save the world but to save mankind.
And this is not some sort of change in God’s heart. This is God’s This is the way God has been all along. He is fundamentally a savior. He loves to save. He does not love to condemn. Hear how this is expressed by God in Ezekiel 33:11.
Ezekiel 33:11, God says via his prophet, say to them, speaking of wicked Israel, say to them, as I live, declares the Lord Yahweh, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways. Why then will you die, oh house of Israel?
God’s a savior. And in his first come coming, Jesus came to save, not to judge. And we’ve already heard this in the Gospel of John, haven’t we? John 3:17. John 3:17. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him. In John 8:15, John 8:15, Jesus says to the Jews, “You judge according to the flesh. I am not judging anyone. So amazingly even when someone stubbornly rejects Jesus by refusing to believe to believe in him or to keep his word Jesus says I do not condemn you.
Not yet. I choose to bear patiently with your heinous offense against me because God didn’t send me as a judge but as a savior. I want you to be saved. Therefore, I will give you more time. I will keep offering myself. I will keep waiting for you to repent and believe until the ordained time of judgment arrives.
Now, while this fourth part of Jesus appeal may seem like it actually discourages belief in Jesus by letting sinners off the hook, oh, he doesn’t condemn me. I guess it’s no problem.
I’ll just continue and unbelief. That’s not really how this works. The opposite is the case, or at least should be the case.
By reminding religious unbelievers of Jesus’ patient saving heart, Jesus again challenges and appeals to religious persons not to add sin to sin, not to trample the undeserved grace and patience of God, even God’s son, by ignoring his saving purpose. Rather, the idea is as Paul says in Romans 2:4, Romans 2:4. Or do you think lightly of the riches of his kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? God has not dealt with you as your sins deserve. He ought to have unleashed his condemnation on you if you’re not yet in Christ, but he hasn’t done so. Why?
Because he wants you to be saved.
But of course, because God is holy and just, because Jesus is holy and just, judgment for sin and unbelief will come. But they judgment will come only in such a way in which God makes abundantly clear to sinners that his primary desire all along was salvation and not judgment.
This is the subject of the fifth and final part of Jesus appeal to religious unbelievers to turn and be saved. Number five, the one rejecting Jesus remains judged by Jesus word. The one rejecting Jesus remains judged by Jesus word. Now this this part’s explanation is a little longer than the others. It covers verses 48 to 50, but we’ll start with just verse 48.
Jesus continues, “He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has one who judges him. The word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.” Notice verse 48 begins with a parallel description to the type of person mentioned in verse 47. We are still talking about any person who does not believe in Jesus or continue in his word, his declared word.
You notice here whereas in verse 47 Jesus proclaimed that he does not judge such sinners in verse 48 Jesus says that there is already someone judging sinners with condemnation. Judging those who reject Jesus with condemnation who’s that judge rather what is that judge? It is Jesus declared word. The declared word itself is the judge. And notice this spoken word is said to judge Jesus rejectors in two different timings. In the first part of verse 48, Jesus spoken word is described as already the one who judges or is judging the sinner. Thus, condemnation on sinners is present and ongoing because of Jesus word. Yet in the second part of verse 48, Jesus spoken word is said to judge in the future, even at the last day, that is in the final judgment. So condemnation on sinners is sure to fall in the future because of Jesus word. So then which is it? Is it now or is it later? Are these timings contradictory? No, they are complimentary.
Every sinner, yes, even every religious person continually stands condemned by rejecting Jesus word. Yet the full and forever condemnation by Jesus word still awaits the judgment of the last day. Both of these things are true. But why does Jesus spoken word have such a condemning effect on sinners?
After all, hasn’t Jesus been preaching the gospel? Isn’t he a proclaimer of life and salvation? How could such spoken words both immediately and at the last day judge sinners? Well, again, let’s hear Jesus’ own explanation because that’s what he goes on to do. I’ll give you two subpoints for this. The first reason Jesus rejectors are and will be judged by Jesus word is 5a because Jesus word is the father’s commandment.
Because Jesus word is the father’s commandment. Look at verse 49. For I did not speak on my own initiative, but the father himself who sent me has given me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. Notice in this verse how Jesus three times connects his spoken words with the father’s commandment. I did not speak in my own initiative. Jesus says he has given me a commandment as to what to say. He has given me a commandment as to what to speak. Why all this repetition? To emphasize that Jesus judging word, the word, the same word that is rejected by supposedly religious persons is not Jesus’ own word. It is the father’s word. It is God’s word. It is the word of the very one that religious persons say they worship.
Thus, to reject Jesus word is to reject God’s words. And what could be a more obvious crime? You say you love God and reject his word. Of course, you’re going to be condemned. Surely, such deserves immediate and final condemnation.
Despite whatever religion a person may wear on the outside, you rejected God’s word. Furthermore, consider the word commandment. In what sense did the ascending father give Jesus a commandment as to what to say and speak? I would say not in one sense but in two. First, the father commanded Jesus exactly what words to say, namely the father’s own words. And second, the father commanded Jesus to proclaim the father’s commandment to the world.
So Jesus, say all these words and some of the words you’re going to say, I guess you could say all the words he’s going to say in one sentence are my commandment to them, to those who hear your word, my word. Well, what is the commandment of the father’s word? Well, what fundamental command is at the center of all of Jesus preaching?
Is it not the command to believe in Jesus? Small wonder then that 2 Thessalonians 1:8 and 1 Peter 4:17 both speak of God’s judgment on those who refuse to obey the gospel. Refuse to obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus, the gospel of God.
You see, the gospel is not just good news to be received or an invitation to be accepted. The gospel is God’s command to be obeyed. Believe in my beloved son. That is the father’s commandment.
So beyond the offense that comes from treating with contempt the father’s word, which is the son’s spoken word, those refusing to believe in Jesus commit another sin and specifically refusing to obey God’s gospel. Therefore, though Jesus presently does not judge sinners, his word does in a double way because it is the father’s word and commandment.
But there’s another reason why Jesus rejectors are and will be condemned by Jesus’ word in verse 50. Look now at 5B. 5B. Because the father’s commandment is eternal life. Because the father’s commandment is eternal life. Verse 50. I know that his commandment is eternal life. Therefore, the things I speak, I speak just as the father has told me.
Notice the beginning phrase from Jesus in this verse. I know. This phrase is included to underscore the shortity, the reliability of what Jesus is about to declare. What does Jesus know with absolute confidence? That the father’s commandment is eternal life. What commandment? Well, the commandment that Jesus was just speaking about. both the commandment for Jesus to speak exactly the father’s words and the substance itself of that word the revelation of God and the specific command to believe in God’s son now in what sense is the commandment of God eternal life we just talked about what the commandment was or is how is it eternal life well certainly in the gospel proclaimed by Jesus when sinners obey the gospel and believe in Jesus they are rescued from sin, darkness and death, wrath. Thus they are made inheritors of eternal life in Jesus. So that’s one sense. That must be one sense. The commandment of God is eternal life when you obey it. Not in keeping the law but in believing in Jesus responding to the gospel call. That is eternal life. But there is another sense which the commandment of God is eternal life.
That is in knowing and experiencing fellowship with God. After all, how is the commandment of God eternal life for Jesus? He says, I know that the father’s commandment, the commandment that Jesus obeys is eternal life. How does Jesus experience that eternal life? Not in salvation from sin. For Jesus has no sin to be saved from. Rather, in obeying the father, doing the will of the father, proclaiming the father’s word of revelation to the world, Jesus experiences rich fellowship with his father. Such rich fellowship with his father that it can only be described as eternal life. Now, you may say, um, kind of sounds like a stretch, Pastor Dave, don’t you think?
Well, consider what Jesus will say later to the father about what eternal life is. John 17:3. John 17:3. This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
Therefore, if the father’s commandment in the gospel is eternal life for all who believe, and if the revelation of the father spoken by the son is the experience of eternal life for the same, then the father’s dutiful, perfectly dutiful son dare not temp tamper alter the father’s word, which is exactly what Jesus emphatically affirms at the end of verse 50. He does not do because Jesus knows that the father’s commandment is eternal life. Whatever Jesus speaks is exactly as the father has told Jesus to speak. And is this concept of Jesus Jesus speaking only the father’s words is that a new idea here in John 12? No. This also we have heard multiple times before in this gospel. Even in our scripture reading earlier in the service, John 8, but I’ll mention two other examples. John the Baptist says of Jesus in John 3:34, John 3:34a, “For he whom God has sent,” that’s Jesus, speaks the words of God, not his own words, God’s words. And Jesus tells the Jews in John 7:16, John 7:16, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.” Don’t accuse Jesus of going rogue with his teaching. He says only what the father tells them to say because he knows the father’s commandment is eternal life. So this is Jesus final challenge and appeal to the Jews and other supposedly religious people, even us today. If you say you love God, then beware rejecting or ignoring God’s son.
For the son’s word is the father’s word.
And though the Son will overlook your unbelief temporarily in regard to judgment, his word already is and will one day testify against you for your eternal condemnation. Yet perhaps there remain two questions. First, why should the fact that the father’s commandment being life result in Jesus word acting as a judge for unbelievers?
How do those two things go together? Second question, isn’t all this a bit of silly semantics? Jesus says that he doesn’t judge, but his word does. Isn’t that basically the same as just saying that Jesus himself still judges? I mean, come on. The answer to both these questions are connected.
The reason Jesus word as the father’s life-giving commandment causes that word to judge unbelievers is because the lifegiving word is rejected. Think about it. If life only comes to sinners by receiving the son’s word, which is the father’s word, then what is left? What is left to the stubbornly unbelieving but death both temporally and eternally both judicially and experientially to say this another way the way Jesus word condemns the unbelieving both now and at the last day is by that word’s sobering testimony you rejected me the only word that could save you.
Therefore, you have essentially condemned yourself. In this way, the distinction between Jesus judgment and his words judgment is not inconsequential. That’s not just semantics.
For if Jesus and the father’s lifegiving word, lifegiving word, pay attention to that part, is the primary agent of judgment. Then to the end, God is first and foremost the savior and only afterwards the judge.
You see, in one sense, God never is the one who condemns unbelievers. Unbelievers condemn themselves by ignoring and rejecting God’s only remedy. This too we have already heard in this gospel. Right after Jesus proclaims in John 3:17 that he came to save the world and not judge the world. We hear John 3:18. He who believes in him that’s Jesus is not judged. He who does not believe has been judged already. Why? Because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God. He’s the only rescuer. You reject him, you’ve got nothing left but judgment, but death, but condemnation. John 5:40. Similarly, John 5:40, Jesus says to the Jews, “And you are unwilling to come to me so that you may have life. It’s available. It’s here. It’s offered. But you won’t come.” So you’ve condemned yourself to the end. God is a savior. So friends and brethren, what about you?
We’ve been talking about God’s word, Jesus word, the lifegiving commandment of God. But that’s not just some sort of theoretical thing out there. It’s right here in the word we’re examining this morning. It’s right here in the words that I’m speaking to you. So, how will you respond to it?
Will it be by persevering repentance and faith in Jesus? Will it be by grace motivated obedience to him even when it gets hard? If so, this passage is for your comfort. Take heart. You get to enjoy the same eternal life that Jesus himself enjoys with the father. His commandment is eternal life for you. But if you respond to Jesus word and the father’s commandment today with distracted apathy or disobedient unbelief, then fear for God’s lifegiving word. Even the word of this passage and sermon, it already testifies against you and it will condemn you in the last day. Friends, do not be like stubborn Israel and do not be like the rest the hypocritical religious in this world. Don’t reject the only lifegiving word.
Choose life. Believe the spoken words of him who is God incarnate. Remember Ezekiel, turn back.
Turn back from your evil ways. Turn back from your poisonous pleasures. Turn back from your empty idols. Why will you die? Why will you remain in darkness? Why destroy yourself? God desires so much better for you.
Remember that God is good. He has a wonderful heart. It’s displayed so obviously in Jesus. He is first and foremost a savior and only afterwards a judge.
When the gift of his eternal life, when the unexpected, amazing, gracious gift of his life, eternal life has been rejected, only then is he judge. Which would you rather he be for you? Let God be your savior today. He is willing. That is his heart.
Are you willing? Are you willing to believe? God invites you today. He commands you today. Obey that lifegiving commandment. Let’s pray.
Lord, you are indeed a wonderful, merciful savior. Even in your just judgment, you reveal to us from this passage in a sense that is not really your heart. That was not really your desire.
You would rather that all the wicked would turn from their sins and live. Now you have a sovereign purpose that is mysterious and don’t fully know how to fit that with what we just learned. Except that both of these things are true. When the unbelievers refuse to come and perish in their iniquity in one sense that is because you ordained it, but in another sense it breaks your heart that such is the case.
You rather that every person would be saved, that no one would perish in the most uncensible decision in their own sin. You have appealed to us again from this passage because you are merciful God.
Lord, I pray let your life commanding your life-giving commandment have such an effect in this congregation today and all those who are hearing this word. Let eternal life now be the inheritance and the experience of the people here.
cause this people to believe in your word, not just once, but in an ongoing way. Cause us, Lord, to persevere in following after Jesus so we may know this magnificent salvation. We may know you. We may see you in all your beauty.
We