John 12:12-37

So this week has many contrasts, doesn't it?

We begin with the triumph of our Palm Sunday

and what many people were hoping for

and the contrast is what was on the mind of the Lord Jesus.

And what we can see clearly from the text

is that regardless of what was on everybody else's mind

of hosannas and proclamations and kingdoms coming

Jesus had one thing on his mind

and that one thing was to get to the excruciating experience of Calvary

and there to lay down his life that he may win for us

our eternal salvation.

And it's difficult for us to understand

as it seemed to be difficult for the people of Jesus' day to understand

how those two things could be together

how it is that the crowds could be in one direction

so zealously on Jesus Christ in another direction.

Now let me try and introduce to you

some of the themes of John's Gospels.

I read through John's Gospel and this week in preparation.

It's a really good thing to do at any time

but a really good thing to do this week

I'd encourage you to do that.

When Jesus is approached by his mother in chapter 2

they're at a wedding and they're running out of wine

and Mary says to the servants

listen, go and speak to Jesus

he can sort it out

he says to her, what do you have to do with me?

My hour has not yet come.

So there's an hour that Jesus is waiting for

and now in John chapter 12

John 12 · chapter mention

we come to the point where Jesus says

this is the hour

the hour for which he was waiting for

at the end of John chapter 2

John 2 · chapter mention

when he turned water into wine.

In chapter 2 John says

that many people believed in him

or you could translate it

they trusted in him

or they believed in him

and John recalls that Jesus responded in this way

it says that Jesus did not entrust himself

into their hands

because he did not need a human testimony

he did not need someone to tell him

about the human heart

he knows what is inside of a man

Jesus knows what is inside of your heart

and my heart

and Jesus knows

what is in the heart of those palm wavers

and he knows that there is something more

than an inauguration ceremony

that is needed for you and I to be healed.

So Jesus comes to Jerusalem

in his face

sat towards the cross

while everybody else has got a different agenda.

Now I'd like to look at the text in three ways

firstly, this is 17 to 22

I'd like us to see

there are many things

that would distract Jesus from the cross.

Then in 23 to 33

we will see that nothing

distracts Jesus from the cross.

And then in verses 34 to 36

we will see that nothing

must deter and distract you from the cross.

So first of all

there are many things

that would distract us

distract Jesus from the cross.

Look at verses 17 to 22

I've put them in three categories

first of all

you have the enthusiastic crowd

you have the crowd

who are popularly

is that a word?

That isn't a word is it?

Popularly?

No.

Well they were promoting

Jesus as king

weren't they?

Zealously.

They were promoting Jesus

as the zealous king

as the messianic king

little children

laying down palm trees

adults taking off

their outer garments

and laying them before Jesus

so that it would be

a sacrificial

royal path

for Jesus to come

into the city of Jerusalem.

They were zealous

for his popularity

there were many

who wanted to make him king

we read that in John chapter 6

John 6 · chapter mention

didn't we?

We're told that Jesus

there in chapter 6

had to escape the crowds

because right there

and right then

they wanted to proclaim him king

and John said

his hour had not yet come.

Your popularity

your desire for popularity

can be a great distraction

from the cross.

Secondly you'll notice

it's not just the crowds

it's the clergy

look at verse 19

if the crowd were frenzied

in their appreciation

of Jesus

then the clergy

are furious

and frustrated

look at what they say

to each other

in verse 19

you see that you are

gaining nothing

look the whole world

has gone after him

and of course

ultimately

the whole world

has gone after him

but here they are

they're complaining

aren't they?

They're saying

what is the use

of our good solid theology?

What is the use

of our religious office?

What is the use

of us being clergy

if no one is going

to follow us?

Just look at these people

look at them

unintelligently

irreligiously

following this

undrained rabbi

and they're frustrated

and they were

plot to kill him.

Here's a temptation

to be deterred

by the clergy.

Thirdly if you look

at verse 20

there is the distraction

of the curious

verse 20

with the crowds

the clergy

and the curious

well who are

these people?

Well they are

the very people

that Jesus said

the gospel was

to go to

the Greeks

the world

look at

he says in

John 10

John 10:16

verse 16

I have not just

come for the

lost sheep of Israel

but for the sheep

the lost sheep

of the whole world

he's bringing sheep

in from all the

folds of the world

and ultimately

we know that

the great commission

does bring those

people in

and here they come

here are the Greeks

they go to somebody

with a Greek name

Philip

one of the apostles

who understood

Greek culture

and they say

sir

we wish to see

Jesus

verse 21

or they want to

see him

and it would be

very tempting

for Jesus

to take his time

there

to have a kind of

Sunday school class

or an apologetic session

to gain international

popularity

and perhaps

these people

have got enough

wealth and income

to travel to

Jerusalem

perhaps

in their places

in Greece

and in Athens

they could promote

the name of Jesus

Christ internationally

and Jesus

is not distracted

but look at

verse 23

verse 23

tells us secondly

that Jesus

would not

be distracted

from the cross

and it gives us

the reasons

now notice

in verse 23

Jesus' answer

to the Greeks

actually isn't

really an answer

is it?

to the question

of the Greeks

Philip and Andrew

come to him

and say

there are some

Greeks

that want to

see you

and Jesus

begins to talk

about dying

now what's

the connection?

what is going on?

well those of you

who know

John's gospel

and all

will know

that John's gospel

is a game

of two hearts

chapters 1

to 11

Jesus talks

about the

great signs

the great signs

that Jesus

has accomplished

he changed

the water

into wine

that's the first

one

he healed people

and there are

other signs

and then ultimately

in chapter 11

with the resurrection

of Lazarus

who's been in the

tomb for three

days

Lazarus comes out

at the word

of Jesus

and that is the

last great sign

of the first

11 chapters

and the signs

of Jesus

are followed

by the teachings

of Jesus

at every point

and then comes

chapters 12

to 21

the book

of glory

the book

of signs

and the book

of glory

and at the end

of the gospel

it's called

the book

of glory

why is that?

why is that?

well it's because

the son of God

is what he's going

to accomplish

and he is going

to accomplish

the glory

of God

and the glory

of God

is intimately

intricately

tied up

with this concept

of the hour

the special hour

that would be coming

so in chapter 2

chapter 7

chapter 8

and in some

other places

Jesus makes it

clear

my hour

has not yet

come

he would not

be made a king

yet

because his hour

had not yet

come

chapter 7

and chapter 8

they try to address

Jesus

and they try to

seize him

but they're unable

to do it

why are they unable

to do it

John tells us

because his hour

had not yet come

but when we come

to chapter 12

Jesus tells us

the hour has now

come

the hour has now

come for the

glory of God

and what is the

glory says John

the glory is

the crucifixion

of Jesus Christ

and his resurrection

from the dead

and his ascension

into heaven

that is the glory

of God

and so everything

in Jesus' ministry

is leading

building towards

this day

furthermore

we've seen

Jesus' strategy

he's not just

to reach the Jews

he's not just

to reach the Israelites

and the church people

but he intends

to reach the

unchurch people

from all over the world

and when these

Greeks come to him

and say we would

see Jesus

here is effectively

Jesus' answer

he's saying

that unless you

understand the

crucifixion

you will never

see Jesus

unless you

understand the

crucifixion

you will never

really see him

and rather

than this

question of

the curious

being a

distraction

for Jesus

actually it

becomes a

great catalyst

for Jesus

it triggers him

to talk about

the very heart

of what he

came to do

and he says

you would see

Jesus

and he leads

them straight

to the cross

now brothers and sisters

this is so important

isn't it

because there are

so many people

this week

who will try

to understand

Jesus

unbelievably

without

understanding

the depth

of our

need

without

understanding

our own

sin

and without

understanding

the substitutionary

atonement

of Jesus

Christ

that is his

death on the

cross

as our

substitute

in our

place

and without

understanding

the depth

of our

need

and the glory

of what God

has done to

meet our need

in Christ

we cannot

possibly

see him

we cannot

possibly

understand him

we might have

many theories

about him

but it will

not be

the right

theory

from God's

perspective

without the

cross

and Jesus

wouldn't even

let

he would not

even let

his disciples

go out

to preach

he told them

to be quiet

didn't he

until they

understood

the resurrection

through the

cross of

Calvary

now

they are

ready to

preach

because they

have a

crucified

and risen

saviour

so it's

not just

moralistic

lessons about

when you're

in trouble

look at

this teaching

it's not

this teaching

if you want

to live a

good life

if you want

to set

a good

moral example

if you want

to have

social justice

and care

for the poor

all of which

is good

and true

and is right

but that is

not the heart

of the gospel

whatever you do

don't mistake

that

you won't

see him

you will

not understand

him

without the

cross

and certainly

you cannot

understand

the Christian

religion

without embracing

the cross

of Jesus

Christ

so when the

Greek comes

and the

world comes

and wants

to see

Jesus

he says

let me

tell you

about my

death

and he's

talking about

his death

he's going

to give you

five things

five reasons

why he will

not be

deterred

why he will

not be

distracted

from the

cross

why he's

eager

to go

to the

cross

so let's

listen to

Jesus

on Palm

Sunday

firstly

verses

23

to 26

the first

reason

why he will

not be

distracted

from the

cross

is because

the cross

glorifies

Jesus

Christ

the cross

glorifies

Jesus

Christ

the son

of God

the son

of man

it is in

the cross

that Jesus

finds his own

glory

you could say

that makes no sense

at all does it

when we put a man

to death

how is he glorified

well you can see

what Jesus

says about it

in verses

23

to 26

he says

it's like a grain

of wheat

if you hold a grain

of wheat

in your hand

in the air

what will happen

when it might blow

away but nothing

will happen

it will just be a

single seed

that's what it

will remain

but if you put

that single seed

into the ground

when that seed

dies

it will bear

fruit to many

there will be

many many

many more seeds

the death of the

seed brings about

many many seeds

and Jesus is

glorified by

laying down

his life

and so now

there are many

little Christs

that is what

a Christian is

Christianos means

little Christs

many little Christs

many little Christs

many Christs

that are harvested

for the kingdom

of God

but ultimately

Jesus finds his

glory in this one

thing he says it

over and over again

in John's gospel

he says I came

not to do my own

will but the

will of him

who sent me

I came not to

seek my own

glory but to

seek the glory

of the one

who sent me

you see Jesus

his whole life

is bound up

in submission

to the father

and he found

his glory in

submitting to the

father

and now we come

to the hour of

his greatest glory

here is the

spectacular display

of submission

to the father

he lays down

his life

in a painful

death on

Calvary's cross

for the sake

of his father

and for the sake

of his church

what a glory

to the son of man

no wonder

Christians gather

all over the

world today

to sing hymns

of praise to the

glory of Jesus

Christ

because of what

he's done on

Calvary's cross

it was the

essence of his

glory

and let me

tell you something

the essence of

your glory

as a little

Christ

as a Christian

is to what

is to take

up your cross

and following

him

as a supreme

act of submission

to the father

that you would

lay down your

life for him

out of love

that is your

glory as a

human being

and Jesus

saying that is

his glory

Jesus did

many many

things which we

give him glory

for

don't we

he turned

water into

wine

he took a

lame man for

38 years

and he said

rise up

take your

mat and walk

and the man

got up and

walked

he took a

man who'd

been born

blind

man who'd

never seen

the glory of

God's creation

and Jesus

gave him

sight

Jesus disturbed

funerals by

raising the

corpse

when Jesus'

friend is in

the tomb

for two days

he simply

says

Lazarus

come out

come forth

and Lazarus

comes out

and we

say glory

is Jesus

for that

but the

most glorious

thing that

Jesus ever

did was to

lay down his

life on the

cross of

Calvary

and look at

the life that

comes out of

that tomb

because he has

done that

the cross of

Calvary is

precious to

every believer

because it

glorifies the

son of man

but Jesus

doesn't stop

there does he

on Palm

Sunday

he says

verse 27

32

he said

it's not

just the

glory of

the son

of God

but it's

the glory

of the

father

and Jesus

himself says

it

he says

my soul

is troubled

on Palm

Sunday

long before

he gets

to Gethsemane

his soul

is disturbed

within him

like a

psalmist

said

the word

here is

exactly the

same as

Psalm 42

why are

you down

cast

on my

soul

why are

you

troubled

in my

soul

and Jesus

says

I am

troubled

what shall

I do

ask the

father to

save me

to rescue

me from

this hour

no he

says

this is

the very

purpose

for which

I came

to glorify

the father

so beautiful

isn't it

that as you

gaze upon

the cross

you gaze

upon the

glory of

the father

that is

what Jesus

came to

do

he came

and found

his glory

in the

cross

and he

found the

glory of

the father

in the

cross

you say

again

you may be

new here

and you

think

what is

going on

how can

the father

be glorified

by his

son being

slaughtered

on a

Roman cross

why would

the father

be pleased

with his

son dying

on the

cross

how on

earth does

that work

why

well here

is why

the apostles

of Jesus

explain it

to us

later in

the epistles

particularly

if you

look at

Romans

3

where Paul

says that

none of

us

none of

you can

earn your

way into

heaven

there's not

a person

here

even

Moses

can take

the law

and apply

it perfectly

to his

life

and thereby

achieve

admission

into heaven

he says

the law

of God

shuts

every

mouth

but then

he says

in Romans

3

21

now

a

righteousness

a justification

from God

is revealed

to us

and what

is that

righteousness

what is that

justification

it is the

admission that

we are

received into

heaven

simply by

putting our

trust in

Jesus Christ

who died for

us at

Calvary

and by

his shed

bled

we are

forgiven

our sins

and we

receive a

righteousness

from him

that is

acceptable

before God

Paul goes

on to explain

in verse 25

of Romans

3

here the

justice of

God is

satisfied

on the

one hand

and on the

other hand

the love

of God

is satisfied

God

loved

sinners

but how

in the

world

will he

get you

into

heaven

God

has already

said

surely

the soul

that sins

well it

shall

surely

die

God

has already

said the

wages of

sin is

death

how in

the world

can God

be a

just

judge

and also

allow you

and me

into heaven

well because

he sends

his only

son

to take

on human

flesh

to live a

perfect life

in our

place

and then to

die a

perfect death

in our

place

so that

the justice

of God

is truly

satisfied

in Jesus

Christ

that's the

reason why

John

gives

that God

is faithful

and just

and he

will forgive

us our

sins

that if

you've

trusted in

the Lord

Jesus

Christ

today

for God

not to

forgive your

sins would

be a

violation of

his justice

because the

sin has been

paid for by

the blood of

Jesus and

therefore it

is only just

that the

judge should

set us

free

because payment

has been

made

justice has

been completely

satisfied

and that is

what allows

him to

satisfy the

loins of

his love

for us

so that

when the

Lord Jesus

comes and

he willingly

lays down

his life

he is

exalting the

justice of

God

and he is

exalting the

love of

God

in a way

that never

has been

done and

never will

be done

but Jesus

goes on

look at

verse 31

it's not

just that

the son

of man

is glorified

and that

the father

is glorified

but he

will not

be distracted

because the

conviction of

the world

look at

verse 31

now is the

judgment of

the world

the judgment

of the world

all of this

world with all

its violence

and all its

pride and all

its greed and

all its social

injustices and

all its racism

and all its

pride and all

its immorality

all of it at

the cross is

completely judged

and condemned

so that in

due time

we his people

shall be

delivered from

it

though it

looks like

doesn't it

to the

uneducated

human eye

that the

greatest act

of injustice

is performed

against Jesus

Christ at the

cross

doesn't it

that the

most innocent

and most

beautiful man

that ever

lived

and here you

have the

political

authorities

the religious

authorities

putting him

to death

it looks like

the death

now for

justice

but what

Jesus is

teaching us

before he

goes to

the cross

the reason

he was

determined to

go to the

cross

he knows

that when

he goes

to that

cross

he shall

put to

death

all of the

injustices

in the world

and all the

sin privately

and socially

he shall put

it all to

death

at the cross

of Calvary

he has

cleansed the

world

we can say

that

we're

on our

way to

that day

of judgment

on that

day

now it's

just a

mopping up

operation

because of

the work

of Calvary

Jesus would

not be

deterred

from the

cross

no matter

what the

crowds

wanted him

to do

no matter

what the

clergy

wanted him

to do

no matter

what the

curious

wanted him

to do

he's going

straight

to the

cross

for the

sake

of the

world

that he

loves

notice

there's a

fourth thing

in verse

31

there's a

fourth reason

that because

of the

cross

Satan

is finally

defeated

do you see

that verse

31

the ruler

of this

world

is cast

out

you might

think

that's a

funny thing

isn't it

I see

Satan

and his

work

and his

pawprits

all over

the world

I see him

running free

but he is

not running

free

he's been

condemned

he's been

contained

he's on

a chain

I

granted

it's a

long

chain

he's

very

angry

the

bible

says

but the

reason

why the

devil

is very

angry

is because

his days

are numbered

his days

are numbered

and his

kingdom

has ended

his kingdom

ended when

the lord

jesus

christ

died on

the cross

at calvary

and once

again it

looks

doesn't it

to the

uninformed

human eye

that here

was a

triumph

on good

friday

the triumph

for all

evil

here was a

triumph for

evil religion

and evil

politics

because they

took the

one who

was proclaiming

the kingdom

of god

they stripped

him naked

they put

nails in

his hands

and nails

in his feet

and a sword

into his side

until he took

his last breath

and it looked

as though they

had conquered

him

and here is what

jesus is teaching

them

that this is one of the

great ironies of the

cosmos

that what happened

to be

what seemed to be

happening at the

cross was the

defeat of all

good and all

righteousness was

actually the

opposite

what happens

at the cross

according to

paul in

colossians 2

is that the

principalities

and the powers

were put up

to public

shame

and christ

triumphed over

them by the

cross

the cross

defeated all

of satan

and all his

legion of

demons

they were

destroyed

there and

then

and they

know when the

final day is

coming

and so they're

angry

cleaning up

operation is

just around

the corner

and when

jesus returns

that defeat

will be seen

jesus would

not be

deterred from

the cross

because he

knew that

when he

went to

the cross

he and

the devil

knew that

that was

the end

of the

kingdom

fifthly

what compelled

jesus to the

cross above

all things

was the

salvation of

his people

look at

verses 32

and 33

and when

i'm lifted

up from

the earth

will draw

all people

to myself

so again

you read

through john's

gospel and

the terms

keep coming

up

so lifted

up

john chapter

John 3 · chapter mention

3

john chapter

John 8 · chapter mention

8

was used

to describe

jesus being

lifted up

just as a

serpent was

lifted up

in the

wilderness

so i will

be lifted

up

this verse

should not

be we're

going to

lift jesus

up in

praise

no

he doesn't

mean lifted

up on the

final day

when his

throne will

be given

to him

and he

is exalted

no he's

talking about

being lifted

up on a

roman cross

and he's

saying the

reason i will

be lifted

up is

because it

will be

through the

cross and

the work

that is

accomplished

there to

provide the

forgiveness

for my

people's

sins

and then

people will

be drawn

to me

from all

over the

world

so the

Greeks

and the

Romans

and the

Asians

and the

Africans

and the

Australians

and the

Austrians

and people

from

Leighton

and from

every continent

and country

in the

world

will be

drawn to

jesus christ

because they

see that the

only answer

for the

evil that

is in

their hearts

and they

understand the

problem of

evil

the problem

of evil

is not

out there

it's in

here

they understand

finally the

solution

that god has

provided the

one and only

way by placing

his own son

to die the

perfect death

on our behalf

do you see

does this

make sense

i asked that

at the

lunchtime

talks

expecting the

answer to

come back

no

no

we're here

but there is a

sense

i think as you

understand the

gospel here

there's no

paradigm for

it

it is new

it is phenomenal

it's too hard to

believe without

help

and jesus goes

on to explain

that from the

middle of verse

36 to the

end of the

chapter

jesus explains

why it is that

people don't

believe

and it's

because it

seems like

disney world

it seems like

a fairy tale

something fantastic

even mythical

and yet what

jesus is saying

is this is

life

this is life

eternal

and when jesus

is raised up

on the cross

we are told

that people

from all over

the world

will effectively

be drawn to him

the word

drawn again

is used in

chapter 6

no one comes

to me unless

the father

draws him

the father

is in that

drawing

and here's

how he does

it

the father

raises his

son upon

the cross

and he

sets the

cross

before your

eyes

the spirit

of god

comes into

your heart

and effectively

draws you

to the cross

and because

you've come to

know your

need

and you've

humbled your

heart

and you've

confessed your

sins

and you've

asked jesus

christ to be

the provision

for you

before his

throne of

grace

and that

is what

we see

in this

text

there are

many

many

distractions

from the

cross

none of

which

jesus

allowed

in his

own

life

because

the

accomplishments

of the

cross

were too

great

the glory

of the

son of

man

the glory

of the

father

the condemnation

of the

fallen world

the destruction

of satan

and the

salvation

of his

people

and then

lastly

and really

quickly

we have

to see

in verses

34 to 6

that you

must allow

nothing to

distract you

from the

cross

you must

allow

nothing to

distract you

from the

cross

you can

see the

people jesus

was teaching

that day

they've got a

very significant

question of

name verse

34

they say

functionally

jesus

we've been

reading our

bibles

and the

torah

teaches us

about the

messiah

in several

places

and we are

told that the

messiah will

reign forever

and ever

and ever

and we know

this to be

true

because one

of the

most famous

passages in

the bible

is isaiah

9 6

until you

a child

is born

until your

son is

given

until you

a child

is born

and he

will reign

over

david's

throne

forever

there'll

be no

end

so please

tell me

jesus

you claim

to be

the son

of man

and the

messiah

and yet

you're

telling us

you're

going to

die

isn't a

dead

messiah

an oxymoron

is it

it's like

it's like

fried ice

it's

completely

impossible

to accomplish

a dead

saviour

cannot exist

well you've

got to wait

to get the

answer to that

you need to

read on into

the epistles

but i do

want you to

notice

in verses

35 to 36

jesus

answer

these are

legitimate

intellectual

questions

but jesus

says let me

tell you what

the real

problem is

there is

light

jesus says

there is

light and i