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Sunday Sermon Outline STUDIES IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN-
PART 64
Chapter
12, verses 23-36- with the approach of the Greeks (fulfilling
Isa.11:11), Jesus is mindful of His necessary work of suffering as well as its
imminency. “The hour has
come…” = use of perfect tense to express a present
state resulting from past action. This “hour” has been referred to
earlier-2:4, at the Father’s right hand. Vs.24 is an axiomatic statement with use
of an agricultural figure to convey the necessity of
His death on the cross. It
is axiomatic in that it is a self-evident
truth required under normal conditions for growth of a crop. Until the seed is planted (death), it
produces nothing; when planted, it produces a large
result.
Vs. 25 becomes the moral application
of vs.24—to “love his life will lose
it” (protecting and guarding it) results in loss (Prov.11:24,
13:7, -principle of withholding that hurts, while giving helps). “he who hates his life [by comparison] in this world will keep
it for eternal
life”. In other words,
selfishness is a false system of protection, resulting in
loss; while selflessness is a valid system of self-protection. Jesus is the prime illustration of
selflessness in His dying on the cross for us – see
Phil. 2:5-11 and Heb. 1:1-3- which, in turn, brought promotion and preservation to
Jesus. This verse is part of other paradox
(statement that is self-contradictory) verses like Matt.10:39, Mark 10:43-44 and
Luke 22:25-26 given by Jesus. Vs.26 ties service for Christ to
service under Christ; that is, to act as His servant requires one’s life
to be regulated by following His precepts and
teaching—not altering, omitting or adding to His
teaching. “where I am..” may refer to
His glorification (vs.23) and that His disciples
will join Him in such glorification. This is taught in the apostolic
epistles- Romans 8:30, 32; I Cor.15:49; Eph.1:18; Col. 3:4; II Thess. 2:13-14.
“if anyone serves Me, him my Father will honor”-
this is Jesus’ promise of reward and promotion for those faithful
in serving Him (especially in a context of
suffering). Vs.27- “now my soul is
troubled..”- same
word for ‘trouble’ we saw in He knows His suffering is
soon. This is an appropriate
tension of anticipating the measure of His agony (Heb.5:7-8)
and may be thought of as preparatory. It is expressive of His humanity as
His mind adjusts to His taking our sin upon Himself (II Cor.5:21) and tasting
death for us (Heb.2:9). This may
not be construed to be ‘worry’ or ‘fretfulness’, but rather His realization that
His flesh or body is a poor vehicle to carry
the weight of sin—see Matt.26:41.
He then dismisses a prayer for deliverance as He knows “this hour”
is part of His purpose for coming to earth. Page 2 Vs. 28 –“Father, glorify your
name”- is perhaps the purest and most God-honoring prayer ever uttered on
earth! It flows from a heart that
is passionately committed to doing God’s will (Heb.10:5-7, Jn.8:29) with a
righteous zeal (Jn.2:17) and single heart (Jn.5:30). Later, in the
garden, He will reveal the difficulty of
such obedience in His prayer (Lk.22:42-44). The difficulty is not found in a
reluctance to obey the Father, but a realization of the cost of obedience that must
be carried out in a weak, fleshly body. To such a God-honoring prayer, the
Father responds with words of support, “I
have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”- This would be the third time the
Father would speak audibly during Jesus’ ministry- Matt.3:17,
17:5 and then here in
John. Vs.29- Those nearby hear a sound, and think it is thunder. Some
believe “an angel has spoken to Him.”- |