The Last Sermon, Before the Last Supper, John 12.25-50

 

If you had a microphone to speak one last message to the world, before you died, what would you say?

The end of John 12, is the end of Jesus' public ministry, before the cross.

The place was packed. Hundreds of thousands flocked to Jerusalem for the Passover. This year, even more; per chance they might catch a glimpse of the man raised from the dead, and better still, the Man who raised him.

There He is, let’s listen in.

The Seed, John 12:23-24

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.

That makes sense. A seed is a seed, until planted, then it can become an entire harvest. Is He saying that He is the Seed, that will die? That will be planted? That will produce a bountiful harvest?

Speaking of seed; is He the Seed, that crushes the serpent’s head? Genesis 3:15.

 

The Risk and Reward, John 12:25-26

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.

Jesus is the Truth; and thus, He speaks it, with no sugarcoat.

This is your mission should you choose to accept it.

This cost-benefit analysis is one of total commitment. Whoever serves Me, must hate (love-less) their own life, and everything they love in this life.

Will you lay down your life for Me? 

Will I be first priority?

Will you follow Me first, above all else? Matthew 6:33.

If you’re willing to serve Me, follow Me. It’ll cost your life—and My Father will honor you.

This is pretty much the opposite of the modern-day salvation message. Today they say, all you’ve got to do is say this prayer, and then Jesus will be your genie-in-a-Bible. He will make your life all shiny and happy and new, and make all your dreams come true.

The Truth is, signing up to follow Jesus is more like joining the military. He owns you.

Which is true, either way, whether you follow Him or not.

But He is Good, and offers this opportunity to accept Him as Lord (the alternative is to reject Him as Lord, and thus, one day receive Him as Judge).  

 

Operation Plan, John 12:27-33

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.

Now, for those still here, after hearing about His life demanding mission, He makes privy to some Personal information, top level communication and prophetic revelation.

We don’t see Jesus praying earnestly in the garden of Gethsemane like in the other gospels, but we do see the personal stress and pressure (Matthew 26:36-37, Mark 14:32-33, Luke 22:44).

He does what we should do—calls out to His Father.

His Father does, what He will do, for us too. He answers.

The answer is often times not for us, but for others.

Then, with the answer comes revelation.

Now the world and the serpent are judged. Both are found guilty. Both sentenced to death.

With one death-defying, Life-giving move, Jesus announces that He will step in a pay the penalty for mankind, and at the same time crush the serpent’s head.

In terms clearly understood by the folks of that day, Jesus states that He will be crucified.

 

Cherry Picking Religion, John 12:34

34 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?”

They knew exactly what Jesus was saying. He is, The Son of Man, The Messiah, The Son of God, The Christ; and He was going to die on an old rugged cross.

The Scriptures clearly prophecy that Messiah would die (Isaiah 53), yet they chose to cherry pick only the Scripture they liked (Isaiah 9:7).

Do Scripture cherry pickers still exist?

Cherry picking Scripture blinded them to the Truth standing right before their very eyes.

It still does.

 

Directive, John 12:35-36

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. 36 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

Remember, He would only be with them (physically) a few more days. This is the last public preaching Jesus will do.

When you’re near the finish line, you stay focused on the prize.  Jesus stays the course and doesn’t allow the cherry pickers to pull Him into a theological debate.

He offers them (and us) a directive reflecting exactly what to do.

Walk in the Light.

Don’t get tangled in theological debates, don’t be blinded by religiosity, don’t try to figure it all out before taking a step.

Just. Walk. With. Me.

One step at a time.

Obedience brings understanding.

To grow and glow, we must trust and obey. One step, and then another.

Enoch walked with God. Noah walked with God. We must walk with God—that’s how it works.

To serve Him, to follow Him, to be a Christian, we must walk with Him. He’s not sitting still. He is giving a clear directive, right now, to you, to do something, to take a step.

If we take the step, with Him, His Light grows brighter.

If we don’t, the Light grows dimmer, and dimmer with each refusal, until darkness overtakes us, and we cannot hear or feel His presence or calling, any longer.

Which brings us to the following commentary inserted by the Holy Spirit, through John.

 

Wouldn’t, to Couldn’t, John 12:37-41

37 But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, 38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:

“Lord, who has believed our report?

And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,

Lest they should see with their eyes,

Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,

So that I should heal them.”

41 These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

Even though the Truth, was staring them in the face, they did not believe, they would not walk with Him; they refused to take a step.

With each rejection their eyes grew dim, their hearts grew hard; until they were too blind to see, their hearts too hard to feel.

Today, if you hear His Voice, harden not your heart. Hebrews 3:15.

 

Knew Better, Chose Worse, John 12:42-43

42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

This brings us back to where we started. Whoever serves Me, must hate (love-less) their own life, and everything they love in this life.

It may be easy for folks with awful lives to say, sure Jesus you can have my life—it’s a mess anyway. But for those who think they’ve got it all figured out, those who love their lives, it’s a bit more challenging. These rulers, these Pharisees, knew the Truth. They knew all the Scriptural boxes were checked. Jesus is indeed the Messiah.

Yet, they loved their puny temporary life, more than the eternal Life, Jesus offered.

They chose a life that leads to death; rather than a death that leads to Life.

 

Behold the Son, John 12:44-46

44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness

As we gathered for this message, the outer band of hurricane Idalia was whirling around us.

Idalia by definition means: behold the sun.

Here Jesus is saying, Behold the Son.

See Me. Really, see Me. Not just Joseph and Mary’s Boy. Not just the Carpenter. Not just the Guy from Galilee. Look beyond the flesh and blood body of Jesus.

This builds on the directive we just looked at in John 12:34-36. Go beyond obediently walking in the Light of revelation, to intimately, passionately, personally knowing Who you’re walking with; The Light of the world. The Almighty Creator. Behold The Son.

 

Authorized Signature, John 12:47-50

47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

Just as an official document is signed by the authority issuing the statement; Jesus closes His public discourse by advising that everything He said is by the Authority of God the Father.

With that Authority, He tells all who reject Him, that His Words will judge them. But that’s for another day, and time, in the end.

Then, at that time, in that day, He came to save them. There was no need for Him to add humanity to His Deity for the sake of judgement—He could’ve stayed Home, on His throne, in heaven, and judged the world.

He came to the world, humbled Himself and became a man, to save the world, and, crush the serpent’s head.

 

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus,

You are so Awesome. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. They walked with You and talked with You, in Living color. Yet, still, many didn’t believe. But they couldn’t see how it all would end.  

Now, today, we may not have You walking around in the flesh, in Living color, but we have You in Your Living Word. We have Your Holy Spirit, we have the honor and privilege of seeing how it all ends. Thank You for that.

Yet, still, many don’t believe.

We pray, that we will walk with You in such a way that others will see and want to walk with You, too.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

 

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