The Continued Unbelief of the Jews

When it comes to believe, does it really matter what you believe? OK so that really is a rhetorical question. This section of scripture is full of belief. Lot’s of unbelief that leaves the person to judgment.

What you believe matters and as John finishes up with Jesus public ministry here today you will see the importance, eternally, of belief. You will see:

They would not believe (vv.37-38)

They could not believe (v.39)

they should not believe (vv.40-41)

We need to be firm in our belief, for there is no neutral ground when it comes to God and His call. This calling has gone forth, the proof and the evidence is there, the mystery has been revealed and there are no more excuses.

Open your Story book to pg. 118 and Bible to Jn12:37-50

Tragedy of Unbelief

What do you notice, what do you see, what sticks out to you?

C.H. Dodd - “has identified this section as the transition between what he calls the “book of Signs” (chapters 12-11) and “Book of the Passion” (chpters 13-20)”

In spite of clear evidence that was presented to them, the Jewish nation would not believe. They have heard the report (v.38; Isa53:1); seen the signs but still did not believe.

In (v.37-38) - why do you think they would not believe?

There are people who you can share the truth with and no matter what they just will not believe. Jesus spoke of this elsewhere too.

Luke 16:31 NASB95

“But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

This section quotes from Isa53:1 too

Isaiah 53:1 NASB95

1 Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

Who has the arm of the Lord been revealed to? And how do you know?

John 1:11 NASB95

11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

Could it be hardness of heart? Could it be misconception of the Messiah? Could it be not taking God and His Word seriously?

So we covered would not believe, but now let’s move on to could not believe.

John 12:39–40 NASB95

39 For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them.”

In looking at these verses which is also a quote from Isaiah (abbreviated version of Isa6:9-10)

Isaiah 6:9–10 NASB95

9 He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.’ 10 “Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.”

What does this look like, sound like to you? Is God hardening their hearts?

One commentator calls this “judicial blindness” meaning that God permits this blindness to the ones who do not take God’s Word seriously. There are other examples (Mt13:14-15; Mk4:12; Lk8:10 and Act28:25-27) all bring in portions of all of the same quote out of Isaiah.

It is a serious thing to treat God’s Word flippant or lightly, people (like the Jews here) could miss out on salvation.

Isaiah 55:6 NASB95

6 Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.

All these words from Isaiah come from a broken heart, he had preached the Word of God as God told him, and the people did not believe and he wished he had not even preached, but see God always has a remnant, and we will see that in just a couple of minutes.

When God’s Word is preached, taught you would hope people would receive, but if they don’t then God will give them over to their desires.

Turn in your Bibles to Rom1:18-24 (too long of a passage for screen)

In looking at this passage, why did God hand them over?

Now in response to what they did, what did God hand them over to (v.24)?

God gave them what they wanted, hence they could not believe because they already made a decision

Yes this is all a part of God’s plan, hard to believe it, but God will use people right where they are at to fulfill His purpose. Remember God’s plan was bigger than Israel the promise made to Abraham was that “all nations” would be blessed.

Jesus was more than the the Savior to Israel He was to be the Savior of the world.

1 John 4:14 NASB95

14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

John 4:42 NASB95

42 and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”

Remember I mentioned a remnant earlier? Let’s now look at (vv.42-43)

1 John 4:14 NASB95

14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

According to (v.42) who believed?

What was the problem with their belief?

Why did they respond the way they did to their belief?

The remnant were some of the leaders, people like Nicodemus, like Joseph of Arimathea- they were undercover disciples to a certain point then they spoke out. But nonetheless they believed.

But belief is not enough is it? Jesus told us such.

Luke 12:8–9 NASB95

8 “And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; 9 but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

In those day it was risky to be a Christian, you could be put out of the synagogue

John 9:22 NASB95

22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.

John 5:44 NASB95

44 “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?

Who you seeking glory from, man or God, that matters.

Where they may have faced expulsion from the synagogue, ostracism from the people including family and economic consequences for they would not do business with a non-Jew. John is chiding them, who do you want from glory from, man or God.

In our world today you may hear it often said that “my religion is a private matter” but private or not it should not be hidden for we are called to be lights and lights are not hidden.

Matthew 5:15–16 NASB95

15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5:16 NASB95

16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

II. Belief in the Father’s Word

What did Jesus do (v.44)?

There are some very significant truths in (vv.44-46) what are they?

Believe in Me; then you believe in the One who sent me (v.44)

See me, then you see the One who sent me

I am light; believe in me and you will not be in darkness

Now how about some scriptures to back these things up?

John 1:4 NASB95

4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

John 3:19 NASB95

19 “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.

John 8:12 NASB95

12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

You must believe in Him and by believing in Him you believe in the One who sent Him.

Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world but that the world maybe saved through Him.

John 3:17 NASB95

17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

William Barclay says “It was not the wrath of God that sent Jesus to men; it was love. Yet the coming of Jesus inevitably involved judgment.”

So let’s press on some more through this passage.

In looking at (vv.47-48) what, who is the judgment by?

Why is there judgment (v.47)?

So on that final day we are going to be held accountable for for what we heard, what we believe and what we did with that belief. All of this by the Word of God.

We are not saved by becoming a Jesus cult, we are saved by belief in the Fathers Word that was commissioned to the Son and lived, died and rose again through the Son.

When we see the Son, we see the Father, when we hear the words of the Son we hear the words of the Father.

What is the command in (v.49)?

What is the results of the commandment (v.50)?

Something to think about, judgment comes by the Word, the written word speaks of the Living Word and the Living Word brings salvation to those who believe. To those who do not believe judgment has come.

John 3:18 NASB95

18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Where the sentencing has not been carried out yet, there is still the opportunity to repent and change directions, that is what we want to bring to people, today is a day of opportunity for tomorrow maybe too late.

If you were to summarize all of this, it would look like this.

Belief in Jesus = belief in the Father (vv.45-46)

Jesus is on a mission from the father, and is commissioned by the Father (v.46)

Jesus mission and commission is to save the world, not condemn (v.47)

There are consequences if you reject Jesus and His message (v.48)

The consequences are because the message and the mission are from the Father (vv.48-49)