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Spiritual Truth the Lord Wants Us to See
The Gospel of John
John 12:34-47
Sermon by Rick Crandall
Grayson Baptist Church - June 14, 2017
(Revised December 16, 2019)
BACKGROUND:
*Please open your Bibles to John 12:20.
In tonight's Scripture, the Lord was still in the Temple in Jerusalem.
It was probably the day after the Lord's triumphal entry into the city on the first Palm Sunday.
This happened during the annual Passover Feast.
*One source estimated that 3 million people were in Jerusalem for that Passover.
And there in the Temple, a mixture of people was listening to the Lord.
Some of the Lord's closest followers were there, so were some Jewish seekers, still wondering if Jesus was the Messiah.
But some of the listeners already had stubbornly rejected Jesus.
Their hatred for Christ had made them like a snarling pack of wild animals desperately trying to kill Jesus.
(1)
*Tonight's Scripture is part of a conversation that began when Andrew and Phillip went to the Lord with a request from some Greeks.
These gentiles wanted to meet with Jesus.
But now so close to the cross, Jesus answered by pointing them to the only way people can be with the Lord forever.
And that is by trusting in the cross of our Risen Savior, trusting in the Lamb of God who came to earth to die on the cross for our sins.
*Here is the background Scripture from John 12:20-33:
20.
Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.
21.
Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus.''
22. Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
23.
But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.
24.
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
25.
He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
26.
If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also.
If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
27.
Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say?
'Father, save Me from this hour'?
But for this purpose I came to this hour.
28.
Father, glorify Your name.''
Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.''
29.
Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered.
Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him.''
30.
Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.
31.
Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
32.
And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.''
33.
This He said, signifying by what death He would die.
*In these verses, Jesus told them about His suffering and death on the cross.
He called us to follow Him closely in loving service.
Jesus also prayed for His Father in Heaven to glorify His name.
Then God the Father replied with a thunderous voice from Heaven.
Why did our Heavenly Father do that?
-- To help people believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, and the only Savior of the world.
*In tonight's Scripture, Jesus continued to speak to that mixed group of believers, seekers, and haters.
And here God shows us spiritual truth that everybody needs to see.
As we read vs. 34-47, think about the truth Jesus gives us here.
MESSAGE:
*The Christian hymn writer, Fanny Crosby, lost her sight as a very young child.
But God blessed Fanny with 20/20 spiritual sight, and she grew up to become perhaps the most prolific hymn writer in history.
Fanny Crosby wrote over 8,000 hymns!
And she gave all the glory to God.
*Fanny once said this about her physical blindness, "It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank Him for the dispensation.
If perfect earthly sight (was) offered me tomorrow I would not accept it.
I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things (around) me."
*In Fanny's hymns, God's spiritual light shines brightly through her soul.
One of our favorites is "Blessed Assurance."
Listen to these words:
"Perfect submission, all is at rest.
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above.
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love
This is my story; this is my song.
Praising my Savior, all the day long;
This is my story; this is my song.
Praising my Savior, all the day long."
(2)
*Fannie Crosby was physically blind, but in the most important way, she had perfect vision!
God wants all of us to have this 20/20 spiritual sight, and there are 3 crucial truths the Lord wants us to see tonight.
1. FIRST, WE MUST SEE THE DARKNESS OF DISBELIEF.
*The unbelieving people in vs. 34 were blinded by spiritual darkness.
That's why they challenged the Lord with a question: "The people answered Him, 'We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, "The Son of Man must be lifted up"?
Who is this Son of Man?'''
*These people were blinded by spiritual darkness, and God wants us to understand their darkness.
[1] SO NOTICE THAT THIS SPIRITUAL DARKNESS IS DANGEROUS.
*The Lord reminded them of the danger in vs. 35: "Then Jesus said to them, 'A little while longer the light is with you.
Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.'"
*The people who walk in darkness don't know where they are going, and that is a dangerous situation.
It's like riding down the interstate on a dark night at 70 mph, and your lights go out!
But spiritual darkness is much, much worse, because most of those people don't even know that they're in the dark.
And they aren't headed toward a tree.
They are headed toward hell.
[2] THIS SPIRITUAL DARKNESS IS DANGEROUS.
AND IT COMES FROM DISBELIEF.
*The worst kind of spiritual darkness comes from not believing in Jesus Christ.
God's Word makes this truth clear in vs. 36-37:
36.
(Jesus said,) "While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.''
These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.
37.
But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him.
[3] SPIRITUAL DARKNESS COMES FROM DISBELIEF.
-- AND UP TO A POINT, IT IS DELIBERATE.
*Verse 37 helps us see this truth.
Again, John wrote, "But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him."
*John Phillips explained that their "disbelief was no accident. . .
Even though Jesus had done so many miracles before them, they refused to believe in Him.
These Christ-rejecters deliberately and stubbornly tore up the Lord's credentials.
Only 36 miracles of Jesus are recorded in the Gospels, but the Gospel writers also include summary statements showing that Jesus performed many more miracles than those specifically documented.
*Here in vs. 37, John mentions 'so many miracles.'"
And in John 21:24-25, the Apostle closed his Gospel by writing, "This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.
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