Now - This Hour

So we're picking up where we left off last Sunday, as usual, in the Gospel of John.

We're in John chapter 12.

John 12 · chapter mention

The passages will be on the screen, but also if you have your Bible, you're welcome to open it up and follow along.

There's also Bibles in front of you in the seats there, the black books, which you can use if you'd like to do that.

We've heard about how Jesus came into Jerusalem, the triumphal entry.

Then there were those Greeks who wanted to see Jesus and meet with him.

Then we heard how Jesus was deeply troubled.

In his words, the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

Jesus talked a little bit about how he must die.

And then he prayed out loud to God the Father.

And amazingly, God answered from heaven in an audible voice.

Some of the people denied that it was a voice, claiming instead that it was thunder.

And now we pick up the conversation in John chapter 12, verse 30.

John 12:30

John chapter 12, verse 30.

John 12:30

Jesus said,

This voice was for your benefit, not mine.

Now is the time for judgment on this world.

Now the prince of this world will be driven out.

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.

He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

So Jesus makes it clear that God chose in this moment to speak in an audible voice from heaven

for the benefit of the people who were standing there.

It was a sign, a confirmation, a testimony from God.

If these people walk away from this moment and do not believe in Jesus,

it's not because of a lack of evidence.

God's not expecting them to, in the words of our world, just take a blind leap of faith.

They heard with their own ears God answering Jesus from heaven.

And so if they do not believe Jesus is the Messiah or the Son of God,

it's because they don't want to believe it.

It's because they're choosing not to believe it.

And as Jesus speaks about how these words were for them,

he goes on to make three very serious statements about the significance of this hour,

this moment that he is about to go through.

He says,

Now is the time for judgment on this world.

Now the prince of this world will be driven out,

and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.

I think we know as we hear these words that they're very important.

And yet, what does Jesus mean by them?

Let's consider the first statement.

Now is the time for judgment on this world.

Literally, now is the judgment of this world.

What does that mean?

I spent quite a few hours this week just mulling on this and thinking about it.

And to be honest, I have an idea, maybe,

but I'm not totally sure.

I don't have complete certainty what Jesus means by this.

There's a couple things that we can rule out pretty easily.

Obviously, Jesus doesn't mean that now is the final judgment.

Jesus said earlier in John chapter 5

John 5 · chapter mention

that the Father has entrusted all judgment to him.

And we learn from other places in the Bible

that there is coming a day of final judgment

where Jesus himself will sit on the judge's seat

and judge the world

according to what they have done,

each person what they have done.

This hour that Jesus is about to go through

is obviously not that.

Another way that this word judgment is sometimes used

is specifically to refer to punishment.

But now is the punishment of this world?

That doesn't seem to fit either.

Here too, the Bible is clear

that there is a final day of punishment coming for the world.

A day in which all who are guilty in our world

will receive what they deserve

for their wickedness and sin.

But this hour of Jesus is obviously not that either.

The book of Revelation,

which comes much later in the New Testament,

describes a little bit of what it will look like

when that final day of global punishment comes.

So what does Jesus mean?

Now is the judgment of the world.

Commentaries and Bible scholars

have made all kinds of statements about this.

Many of those don't really have me convinced.

One of those statements is that

the judgment of this world

and the driving out of the prince of this world

is basically the same thing.

In the words of J. Ramsey Michaels,

the second sentence explains the first.

He says,

the world is now judged in that

its ruler is now to be driven out.

The language, he says,

can easily be read as the language of exorcism,

especially with the ruler of this world as its object.

And he kind of goes on to explain

how judgment of this world

is basically the exorcism of the world.

How just like Jesus cast demons out of people,

he is now about to cast out the prince of demons

out of the whole world.

Well, that certainly has some logic and reason in it,

but is that what Jesus meant

when he said,

now is the judgment of this world?

Another similar statement is that

now is the judgment of this world

means that the kingdom of this world

is about to fall.

In the words of Robert Mounts,

Satan may have been the prince of this world,

but his kingdom is about to come tumbling down.

Is that what Jesus means?

By now is the judgment of this world?

That Satan's kingdom is about to come tumbling down?

Well, as I've already said,

I don't know for sure what Jesus means.

Here's my best guess though.

There's a few commentators and scholars out there

who I found out later this week

were thinking along the same lines as I was.

Here's my thought,

and I hold it with a very open hand,

and you're welcome to do that too.

Maybe the world is the world,

and there are two statements here.

One about the world,

and one about the devil.

And maybe the judgment of the world

means the identifying or the differentiation

of the people of this world.

Because it does kind of seem like

it's here in this hour

that it becomes clear

who are the wheat,

and who are the weeds.

Who are the true sheep,

and who are the imposters.

Who loves what is right and good,

and who loves what is wicked and evil.

And the parable of the wheat and the weeds

that Jesus told,

I think is a helpful analogy.

You'll remember in that parable

that it was the enemy of the field owner

who snuck in at night

and went and planted,

scattered weed seeds.

Not like weed,

but like the seeds of weeds

in the field.

Some of you are still awake.

And not just any weeds,

but actually darnel,

false wheat.

So,

I won't tell the whole parable,

but for a time,

these

darnel seeds

sprouted up together

with the wheat seeds.

And it was not obvious

which was which.

They look very much alike.

But eventually,

there comes this moment

when it is obvious,

where the plant reaches

that stage of development

in which it comes out,

uh-oh,

we've got two different things

here in the field.

The physical differences emerge.

Could it be that this hour

that Jesus is about to go through,

the cross,

is that stage of development

in the plan of God

which will make it

crystal clear

who are the wheat

and who are the imposters,

who are the true sons of the kingdom

and who are not.

This seems to fit

with other places

where Jesus has told us

that

he has to

come to,

that

he's told us

that he's come to judge.

And I think he means that

in the sense of identify

or expose

or clarify.

Let's reflect back

to what we've heard

earlier in the gospel,

John 3, verse 17.

John 3:17

For God did not send

his son into the world

to condemn the world,

but to save the world

through him.

So this is a rescue mission

that Jesus is on.

And God's chief intention

is not for Jesus

at this coming

to sit on the judgment seat

and take up the gavel.

He will do that

at the end.

But there are all

these little hints

along the way

that even as Jesus

does what he does

and says what he says,

it's having this kind

of judging effect,

this exposing effect,

this revealing,

identifying,

who's who effect.

John 3, verse 19,

John 3:19

just a couple verses

down in chapter 3.

This is the verdict

or the judgment.

Light has come

into the world,

but people loved darkness

instead of light

because their deeds

were evil.

Everyone who does evil

hates the light

and will not come

into the light

for fear that their deeds

will be exposed.

But whoever lives

by the truth

comes into the light

so that it may be

seen plainly

that what they have done

has been done

in the sight of God.

So John tells us here

that Jesus came

as the light

of the world

and his light

in all its goodness

also exposes

what's being done

in the darkness,

the evil deeds

of people.

As Jesus speaks,

it's like the light

is shining on people.

The truth is coming

to them.

It's becoming evident

in response

to Jesus' words

where people stand

or where they are

choosing to stand.

Some are coming

to him.

They are coming

into the light.

They are confessing

their sins.

They are being reconciled

with God

and yet others

are turning away

from the light.

They want to keep it

at a distance.

They hate the light.

They are choosing

instead to cherish

and cling to

their wicked ways.

They want the light

to go away.

They are even plotting

to extinguish

the light.

John chapter 9

John 9:39

verse 39

Jesus says here

for judgment

I have come

into this world

but notice

the kind of judgment

so that the blind

will see

and those who see

will become blind.

Again

here

Jesus almost

seems to describe

himself as

light

as the one

who enables

those who are

blind to see

and the one

who blinds

those who

think they can see.

As we just heard

they think

they can see

but they really

don't like the light.

They prefer

to be in darkness.

Their blindness

is something

that they are

choosing for

themselves.

Do you remember

what Simeon

prophesied

over the

child

Jesus

when

Mary and

Joseph

took Jesus

to the temple

in Jerusalem?

Back in Luke

Luke 2:34

chapter 2

verse 34

he said to

Mary

this child

is destined

to cause

the falling

and rising

of many

in Israel

and to be

a sign

that will be

spoken against

here's the key

line

so that the

thoughts

of many

hearts

will be

revealed.

So there is

a kind of

judgment

a kind of

verdict

about people

that's

being arrived

at simply

by Jesus

being here

and doing

his ministry.

He is exposing

he's bringing

to light

the thoughts

of many

hearts

and for

some

it's exposing

a soft

and repentant

heart

and for

others

it's exposing

a hard

and unrepentant

heart

and Jesus

seems to be

fully aware

that his

coming

his speaking

is having

this effect

on people

as we just

heard in

John 9

39

for judgment

I have come

into this

world

we hear

the same

thing

in Matthew

Matthew 10:34

chapter 10

verse 34

where Jesus

says

do not

suppose

that I

have come

to bring

peace

to the

earth

I did

not come

to bring

peace

but a

sword

for I

have come

to turn

a man

against

his father

a daughter

against

her mother

a daughter

in law

against her

mother

in law

a man's

enemies

will be

the members

of his

own

household

and similarly

in Luke

Luke 12:51

12

verse 51

Jesus

says

do you

think

I

came

to

bring

peace

on

earth

no

I

tell you

but

division

from now

on there

will be

five in

one family

divided

against

each other

three

against

two

and two

against

three

they will

be

divided

father

against

son

and son

against

father

and it

goes

on

you know

we've seen

in our

own

times

how

divisive

some

of

these

current

issues

can

be

probably

many

of you

have

at least

one

relative

or two

that you

don't see

eye to

eye with

on the

issues

of our

day

whether

it's

covid

or convoy

or whatever

sadly

it's

it's

had this

effect

it's

turned

people

against

one

another

even

members

of

people's

own

family

Jesus

knows

that his

being

here

and the

things

that he

is saying

and doing

is having

the same

effect

also

he states

it pretty

strongly

I have

come

to bring

a sword

division

to turn

members of

people's

family

against

each other

but listen

the difference

is

it's not

as though

Jesus

wants

in his

heart of

hearts

for this

to happen

in families

it's

not as

though

Jesus

wants

people

to

reject

the

truth

that

he's

speaking

and to

oppose

him

as some

of them

are

he would

far

rather

that they

repent

that they

acknowledge

the truth

of his

words

and come

into the

light

I mean

we've

heard this

so many

times

in the

gospel

of John

already

how Jesus

patiently

pleads

with people

but at

the same

time

he knows

how this

is going

to go

there is

a kind

of

judgment

an exposing

an identifying

a differentiating

that's inherently

bound up

in his

mission

it was

Jesus

who reminded

his opponents

of what the

scriptures

said long

ago

haven't you

read the

passage of

scripture

he said

the stone

the builders

rejected

has become

the corner

stone

two totally

different

responses

to Jesus

the apostle

Peter picked

up on this

in his

letter

as well

he describes

Jesus

there as

the corner

stone

of the

spiritual

house

that God

is building

and yet

at the

same

time

a stone

that causes

some

to stumble

and to

fall

and again

it's not

that Jesus

desires for

people to

respond

negatively

to his

message

and his

ministry

think of

what happened

as he

rode into

Jerusalem

Luke tells

us that

Jesus

wept

as he

approached

the city

if you

even you

had only

known on

this day

what would

bring you

peace

he said

and another

time

Jerusalem

Jerusalem

you who

kill the

prophets

and stone

those sent

to you

how often

I have

longed

to gather

your

children

together

as a

hen

gathers

her chicks

under

her wings

and you

were not

willing

do you

hear Jesus

heart

for the

very people

who will

reject him

so maybe

this gives

light to

what Jesus

means

when he

says

now is

the time

for judgment

on this

world

it's

kind of

already

been

happening

with

Jesus

ministry

perhaps

here at

the cross

all of

this

comes

to

its

ultimate

head

the

hearts

of

Jesus

enemies

will

be

most

deeply

exposed

and

we

will

see

the

hatred

the

jealousy

the

rage

that's

been

boiling

beneath

the

surface

in so

many

of

them

it's

going

to

erupt

as

they

capture

him

treat

him

terribly

and

put

him

to

death

the

deeds

which

expose

their

unbelieving

and

unrepentant

wicked

hearts

are about

to be

done

the

deeds

which

tell

who

they

really

are

not

true

sons

of

the

kingdom

but

rather

children

of

their

father

the

devil

so

this

hour

that

Jesus

is

about

to

go

through

it's

not

the

final

judgment

day

but

maybe

what

Jesus

means

is

that

the

final

judgment

day

will

point

back

to

this

hour

the

hour

that

most

clearly

proves

that

the

condemnation

of the

world

of those

who

rejected

Jesus

is

deserved

that's

my best

guess

at what

Jesus

means

when

he

says

now

is

the

time

for

judgment

on

this

world

maybe

maybe

it's

that

this

hour

what

he's

about

to

go

through

right

now

it's

this

that

will

show

who

is

who

who

are

the

wheat

who

are

the

weeds

who

are

the

true

sons

of

the

kingdom

and

who

are

the

imposters

so

Jesus

makes

this

first

statement

now

is

the

time

for

judgment

on

this

world

but

then

he

makes

a

second

statement

he

says

now

the

prince

of

this

world

will

be

driven

out

what

does

Jesus

mean

by

this

I

think

everybody

who

reads

this

recognizes

that

who

the

prince

of

this

world

is

the

devil

Satan

let's

consider

these

words

carefully

too

the

prince

of

this

world

does

it

chill

you

to

think

that

Jesus

referred

to

the

devil

as

the

prince

of

this

world

you

know

if

the

devil

up

until

this

point

in

the

story

had

no

real

power

or

authority

at

all

I

think

Jesus

would

have

just

said

so

but

no

Jesus

doesn't

say

that

in

fact

the

opposite

by

calling

the

devil

the

prince

of

this

world

he

acknowledges

that

yes

he

has

had

some

real

authority

and

power

in

this

world

he

has

ruled

but

also

notice

that

Jesus

calls

him

prince

or

ruler

and

not

king

Jesus

doesn't

deny

that

the

devil

has

real

authority

and

power

but

he

also

by

this

title

implies

that

there

is

a

higher

authority

a

higher

power

still

this

earthly

throne

on

which

the

devil

sits

doesn't

belong

to

him

he

sat

on

it

only

as

a

prince

I

can't

help

but

think

of

the

last

time

I've

been

reading

through

the

Old

Testament

and

I'm

not

sure

I

can't

remember

exactly

where

this

shift

occurs

sometime

after

the

return

from

exile

but

at

some

point

in

the

Old

Testament

prophets

Jesus

sorry

the

father

stops

referring

to

the

ruler

in

Israel

as

the

king

and

instead

is

calling

them

princes

I

can't

help

but

see

a

bit

of

a

message

there

these

men

who

are

now

governing

in

Israel

after

the

exile

are

not

the

king

they

are

not

kings

as

David

was

a

king

they

were

not

kings

as

someday

the

Messiah

would

be

king

that's

what I

think

about

here

the

devil

has

been

the

prince

of

this

world

but

the

true

king

of

this

world

to

whom

the

throne

belongs

he's

about

to

unseat

him

and

I

love

this

now

the

prince

of

this

world

will

be

driven

out

in

this

hour

something

is

about

to

happen

with

Jesus

which

will

push

the

devil

off

of

his

throne

again

it's

difficult

to know

for certain

exactly

what

Jesus

means

here

it

doesn't

seem

to

mean

that

the

devil

will

be

completely

powerless

after

this

nor

does

it

seem

to

mean

that

Satan

will

be

kicked

right

off

of

planet

earth

and

not

allowed

to

be

here

anymore

or

that

he

will

lose

all

semblance

of

authority

here

on

earth

here's

why

years

later

Peter

wrote

to

the

churches

be

alert

and

of

sober

mind

your

enemy

the

devil

prowls

around

like a

roaring

lion

looking

for

someone

to

devour

so

even

after

this

hour

of

Jesus

the

devil

is

still

here

on

earth

he's

still

on

the

prowl

or

revelation

Revelation 2:12

chapter

2

verses

12

and

13

this

is

Jesus

dictating

the contents

of a

letter

to the

apostle

John

for the

church

in

Pergamum

he says

to the

angel

of the

church

in

Pergamum

write

these

are

the

words

of

him

who

has

the

sharp

double

edged

sword

I

know

where

you

live

where

Satan

has

his

throne

yet

you

remain

true

to

my

name

you

did

not

renounce

your

faith

in

me

not

even

in

the

days

of

Antipas

my

faithful

witness

who

was

put

to

death

in

your

city

where

Satan

lives

I

don't

know

just

what

Pergamum

but

it

suggests

at the

least

that

Satan's

power

and

influence

and

control

are

still

present

in

some

measure

even

60

years

after

Jesus

died

rose

and

ascended

so

what

does

it

mean

then

that

now

the

prince

of

this

world

will

be

driven

out

my

best

guess

is

that

it

means

this

hour

that

Jesus

is

about

to

go

through

is

the

beginning

of

the

end

for

the

devil's

rule

in

this

world

just

like

for

the

judgment

of

this

world

it's

not

the

final

judgment

it's

perhaps

the

foundation

and

the

basis

for

the

final

judgment

that

Jesus

is

about

to

lay

here

in

the

same

way

neither

is

this

the

final

doom

for

Satan

but

perhaps

the

basis

and

the

foundation

for

it

this

verse

comes

to

mind

in

Hebrews

Hebrews 2:14

chapter

2

verse

14

and 15

since the

children

have

flesh

and blood

he

too

that's

Jesus

shared

in their

humanity

so that

by his

death

he might

break

the power

of him

who holds

the power

of death

that is

the devil

and free

those who

all their

lives were

held

in slavery

by their

fear of

death

now that's a

whole nother

passage and

discussion

there but

at least

one thing

is clear

Jesus

by his

death

broke

the power

of him

who holds

the power

of death

the devil

there was a

kind of

slavery that

all humanity

was inevitably

born into

and the devil

seems to have

had us

in his

sway

but what

will happen

in this

hour for

Jesus

at the

cross

will forever

change

that

and strip

that power

from the

devil

the devil

had legitimate

grounds

to accuse

us

because of

our sins

but he

will have

those grounds

removed

forever

through Jesus

death on the

cross

justice will

be done

and we

through faith

in him

can be set

free forever

in the courts

of heaven

I love to

think about

this

the devil

has had

his

time

on the

throne of

this

world

but what

Jesus is

about to

go through

will change

that forever

what did

Jesus say

again and

again he

said the

kingdom of

heaven is

near

I was

reading in

Daniel again

this week

the vision

that Nebuchadnezzar

had of the

statue with

the head of

gold

representing his

great kingdom

of Babylon

and then comes

the large stone

cut without

human hands

and smashes

the whole

statue to

pieces and

all the

kingdoms that

it represents

in our

world story

and then this

stone grows

into a

mountain and

fills the

whole earth

representing the

kingdom of

God and

of Christ

the cross

was the

beginning of

the end

for the

devil

and the

devil will

have a last

stand

or two

depending on

your

interpretation

of

revelation

but his

grounds for

an accusation

against God's

people

against us

who believe

are now

gone

because of

Jesus'

death

on our

behalf

finally we

come to

Jesus'

third

statement

he says

and I

when I

am lifted

up from

the earth

will draw

all people

to myself

he said

this to

show the

kind of

death

he was

going to

die

when we

hear these

words lifted

up from

the earth

we might

be tempted

to think

about

Jesus'

ascension

lifted up

from the

earth

but John

makes it

clear

no when

Jesus said

that he

meant to

show the

kind of

death he

was going

to die

as in

literally

lifted up

from the

ground

on the

cross

to die

and what

will this

death

achieve

Jesus

says

when I

am lifted

up from

the earth

I will

draw all

people

to myself

I will

draw all