On Track - A Time For...

JOHN 12:20-33

In looking at verses 20-33 of this, chapter 12 the coming of the Greeks seem to bring to ahead the crisis that is about to take place in Christ Jesus' life. With the coming of the Greeks Christ Jesus gives a parable about a kernel of wheat, has a momentary conflict with Himself, and then speaks of a judgment.

Test pilots have a litmus test for evaluating problems. When something goes wrong, they ask, "Is this thing still flying?" If the answer is yes, then there's no immediate danger, no need to overreact. When Apollo 12 took off, the spacecraft was hit by lightning. The entire console began to glow with orange and red trouble lights. There was a temptation to "Do Something!" But the pilots asked themselves, "Is this thing still flying in the right direction?" The answer was yes--it was headed for the moon. They let the lights glow as they addressed the individual problems, and watched orange and red lights blink out, one by one. That's something to think about in any pressure situation. If your thing is still flying, think first, and then act. - Capt. Alan Bean, USN, Apollo Astronaut, in Reader's Digest.

It may not have seem like it to the disciples but things were going the right way. Christ Jesus had come with an end objective and He was on track for that to happen. 

John 12:20-33
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

23 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 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. 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.

27 "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? `Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!"

Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

30 Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
 

1. Time For Dying (vs. 20-26)

Now some Greeks came. The “other sheep, not of this flock” had heard the voice of the Shepherd. The children of God, who are scattered abroad, are being gathered. These were God-fearing Gentiles, not fully converted to Judaism, who had come to Jerusalem for the feast. 

It is speculated that these Greeks sought out Philip because they thought they could identify with him. His name was Greek and he came from a predominantly Gentile area. Philip was the easiest for them to approach, one of their own “social network.” 

FYI, those personal, family, and neighborhood ties are at the heart of most lasting personal evangelism.

They addressed Philip with respect as they made their request known, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus” (v. 21). It is not a matter of looking at Him or meeting a “celebrity,” but of visiting with Him, getting to know Him.

Philip did not seem sure about this request or what he ought to do. So he shared the request of these people with Andrew, and then together they took this request to Christ Jesus. 

Did Christ Jesus ignore the request, or did He meet with these folks? We really don't know because the announcement of these visitors provoked the announcement in verse 23.

“The hour has come...” Up to this point the hour had always been coming, but now it had come. This time will be the glorification of the Son of Man (v. 23).

When He spoke, Christ Jesus was not using this designation as the Jews commonly understood it: "I kept looking in the night visions, 

                                                         And behold, with the clouds of heaven 

                                                         One like a Son of Man was coming,

                                                        And He came up to the Ancient of Days 

                                            And was presented before Him.” 

                                                                          (Dan. 7:13–14)

You see while Christ Jesus is the mighty Son of God, He is the Son of Man in Daniel. Yet He came, lowly and meek, to be crucified so that sin and death would be destroyed. The rejection by the Jews coupled with interest by the Gentles evoked the parable of the seed (vs. 24). 

As most of you, if not all of you know a kernel of wheat like all seeds must die and then be buried in the ground to do anything. It is only when this happens that new life can come from it. Like a kernel of wheat Christ Jesus had to die and be planted in the ground (a borrowed tomb) to accomplish God's will. But like the kernel of wheat sprouting up into a new, live plant – so it was to be with Christ Jesus.

Christ Jesus could have possessed His heavenly glory alone, without becoming man. Or, after He had taken man's nature, He might have entered heaven by His own perfect righteousness, without suffering or death. Yet if He had done either of these then no sinner could have been saved. And guess what? We are all sinners, every single one of us. After three days in the ground Christ Jesus came out alive to give you and any one who will except Him as Lord and Saviour a new and glorious life.

The disciple and you are also involved in this harvest. If you do not cling with a passion to life (the things) in this world you will discover eternal life. You can only share in the resurrected life of the Lord Christ Jesus if you die to self: “for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13). If you do this you will be made alive with Christ Jesus. 

A life of service, following Christ Jesus, learning to be obedient to Him, this is how salvation is obtained, yes? (vs.26) No! Christ Jesus does not work that way, He wants you to serve Him because you want to not because you have to. But now the kicker, the longer you know Him the more you want to serve Him. When you serve Him out of love then you will be with Him wherever He is, in this world or in heaven. “To serve Christ Jesus, that is to live according to the sequence obedience-death-life, is to live the life that is honored by God.”
 

The time was at hand. It was time for Christ Jesus to die and He knew it. But this did not make it easier for Him.

2. Time For Struggle (vs. 27-34)

The Man who was weary at a well and wept before a tomb did not go automatically or casually to the Cross. (vs.27) The flesh, which is weak; shrank from the terrible death to come. Here you see the anguish, the longing of Christ Jesus to avoid the Cross. You see His humanity. Innocent nature got the first word, but divine wisdom and love would get the last. 

There was no turning back from the decision that was made before the beginning of time (vs. 28). Christ Jesus had come in loving obedience to the Father’s will and every move of His ministry had been a response to that plan. That faithfulness had brought Him to this hour. There would never be a harvest, the Greeks would never know, you would never know the mercies of God unless Christ Jesus completed His mission. It is for this purpose that Christ Jesus has come! So the trembling, questioning cry, “Father, save Me from this hour,” was answered by the Son’s decisive prayer of obedience, “Father, glorify Your name” (vs. 27–28). 

The name of the Father had been entrusted to Christ Jesus and now in His last, costly act on Earth; He would lift that name up above all other names. Then, for a third time in Scripture the Father spoke from heaven, the first at His baptism and the second His Transfiguration. Christ Jesus' name had been glorified throughout all of His ministry, from the Jordan to Bethany, and now in this hour He would glorify it again. This was a sign of the Father’s approval.

Are you often hesitant and indecisive in seeking to obey the Father? You see through a glass darkly and hear so indistinctly even as you are eager to be faithful.

After weeks of struggle, with so much uncertainty and inner debate, a pastor and his wife finally yielded to what seemed to be the inner pressure of the Lord. They left their great, exciting family in Sioux Falls, a church they had been a part of for sixteen years, to cast their lot with a needy, hopeful congregation in Wichita. As they had said, “All we have is a huge building and lots of problems.” At first they were so certain they were to turn down this invitation, to continue their ministry in Sioux Falls. Then the pastor heard the unexpected word of the Lord through a Catholic priest. It was then he became fearfully aware that God wanted them to move to a “new country.” When he came home and shared this sudden turn of events with his wife she simply picked up a book and pointed to a chapter she had been reading that day. It was entitled “The Joy of Obedience” from Catherine Marshall’s book Something More. They read together through tear-filled eyes and, as they prayed, they knew they had both heard the Father’s voice.

The Father will always let you know what He wants you to do, sooner or later. Then like Abraham you take a feeble step of faith with what light you have and move out, and as you do you are affirmed and blessed by the One you seek to obey. 

That voice should have been a moment of awakening for this crowd, making them aware of the grave importance of this hour. But they were confused, incapable of hearing the voice of the Father, just as they had been unable to hear the word of His Son. So the speech of God for them was only sound, thunder or perhaps angels!

But the judgment of God would be known in what was to take place. The cross is always a time and place of crisis and decision, where darkness and evil are unmasked and overcome, but also where faith and life are released. 

Will you find the Christ of the cross now? Once you find Him you will be able to experience the new life He has to offer – a life of peace, comfort, assurance, and eternity spent with God.

You have seen that in Christ Jesus final days there was a time for dying, and a time of struggle. Finally I want you to see that there was a time of judgment.

3. Time For Judgment (vs. 30-33)

Now was the judgment. Christ Jesus spoke with a divine exultation and triumph. "Now the year of my redeemed is come, and the time prefixed for breaking the serpent's head, and giving a total rent to the powers of darkness; now for that glorious achievement: now, now, that great work is to be done which has been so long thought of in the divine counsels, so long talked of in the written word, which has been so much the hope of saints and the dread of devils." (from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.) 

Christ Jesus told those who were there plainly that judgment (krisis) kree'-sis was coming, and deliverance from that judgment was faith in the work of the cross. Once again Christ Jesus makes reference to being “lifted up” not as in being exalted, but to be killed. The cross forms the centerpiece of the gospel. Sadly all the peoples of the world will not be saved. Christ Jesus does draw all to Him, not wanting any to perish; but only those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. I pray you are in the group who has called on Christ Jesus' precious name.

Now Christ Jesus moves into enemy territory, the “ruler of this world” is driven “out of his former domain … his office and power.” The Son of Man has come to reclaim all that His greatest enemy has usurped. So as Christ Jesus was “lifted up” from the earth on the Cross (John 3:14; 8:28), and through His Ascension to His place of power, the evil one is “cast out”! A “new Monarch” has come who will draw “all men” to Himself. Here is Christ Jesus’ the cure to the illness that affects all mankind, sin!

Conclusion: What is said from heaven concerning our Lord Christ Jesus, and the glorifying of the Father in Him, is said for your sake, so that you would submit to Him and rest upon Him. You must either believe in Him, walk in the Light, and become sons and daughters of light, or darkness will overtake you as you stumble on toward your destruction.