31. The Hour Has Come: John 12

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G'day

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and welcome to Stories of a Faithful God.

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I'm Dave Whittingham.

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Today we're launching into the second-half

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of John's Gospel.

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We covered the first half last year.

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Before we get into it though,

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let me ask you a question.

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What are the key moments in your life?

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What would you pick as those key turning

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points, the crucial times that set your

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future direction?

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There are ones that most of us share.

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Being born is an easy one,

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probably leaving school.

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Moving out of home for the first time if

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you've done that.

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Sometimes those key moments are big and

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obvious.

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Sometimes they're not so obvious.

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As I was in my last year of school, I was

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having a chat with someone at church about

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my future plans.

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I told them I was going to train as a

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primary school teacher.

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They said, well, you should teach Sunday

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school then.

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Go and have a chat to Janice, who's in

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charge of the Sunday school team.

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I didn't know then

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that she was telling me to go and meet my

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future wife.

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There are moments in our lives that at the

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time look tiny,

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but are actually crucial to our future

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direction.

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So what happens

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if we miss those moments?

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If we don't see them as important?

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If we don't act at the right time and then

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miss out?

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Our whole lives could go hurtling in a

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completely different direction.

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In today's story,

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Jesus doesn't miss his moment.

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He understands the time perfectly.

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He sees what's happening and what he needs

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to do with crystal clear

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20/20 vision.

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And he urges us to see as clearly as he does.

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And so,

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I present to you our next episode

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of Stories of a Faithful God.

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At the end of our last series,

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we'd reached a crucial moment in the

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ministry of Jesus.

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Jesus has been performing signs, proving

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who he is,

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proving that he's God in the flesh,

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that he's the King of the world.

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It's crucial for people to understand

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Jesus' identity,

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because by believing in him, the real Jesus,

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Jesus as he truly is,

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we receive eternal life.

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And so Jesus has been performing these

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signs pointing to who He is.

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In the first half of the Gospel,

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John tells us about seven signs in

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particular.

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The most dramatic has just happened in

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chapter 11,

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where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

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If you want proof that Jesus has power over

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life and death,

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proof that He really is the one who can

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give you eternal life,

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proof that He carries the same authority

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that's only held by the one true God,

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What more could you ask for?

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For many,

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the answer was nothing.

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They saw or heard about the sign, and they

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believed in the one the sign pointed to.

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For others, though,

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it had completely the opposite effect.

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For the Jewish Sanhedrin, the ruling

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council,

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it stiffened their resolve to destroy Jesus.

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If that seems strange, we'll actually get

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an explanation of what's going on for them

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later in today's story.

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All this had come to a head as the Jewish

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Passover approaches.

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Two Passovers have already happened in the

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gospel.

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In the first one, Jesus went up to

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Jerusalem as an unknown,

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but he made a big splash when he cleared

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the temple of people who were abusing it.

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During the argument that followed,

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Jesus alluded to another sign,

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a sign that approved his authority over

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God's temple,

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a sign we haven't seen yet.

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People asked him for a sign and he replied

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in chapter 2 verse 19,

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Destroy this temple and I will raise it up

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in three days.

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Then we're told that Jesus wasn't talking

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about the brick and mortar temple.

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He was talking about his own body.

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At Jesus' second Passover,

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he didn't go to Jerusalem.

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Instead, people traveled out to see him

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and he miraculously fed thousands of people

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with five loaves and two fish.

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When Jesus explained that knowing him was

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far more important than a hearty meal,

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though,

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most people lost interest and walked away.

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Jesus asked his twelve disciples if they

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wanted to leave along with the crowd, and

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Peter gave this brilliant answer in chapter

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6 verse 68:

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Lord,

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to whom will we go?

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You have the words of eternal life.

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We have come to believe and know that you

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are the Holy One of God.

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When you found the guy who can give you

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eternal life,

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why would you settle for anything less?

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Well, now it's time for the third Passover,

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a time when the population of Jerusalem

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generally swells by anywhere from

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150,000 people to more than a million

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people.

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And the question that's running through the

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conversations of all these people is,

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is Jesus going to come? Will he turn up?

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Will we get to see him?

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The chief priests and Pharisees have given

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orders that if anyone does see him,

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they need to report him.

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Jesus has been hiding out for a little while.

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He's both

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a wanted criminal

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and a huge popular celebrity.

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So what's he going to do?

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Six days before the Passover begins,

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Jesus arrives at Bethany.

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Bethany's only about an hour's walk from

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the gates of Jerusalem,

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just up over the Mount of Olives.

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It's also the place where Lazarus lives,

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with his sisters, Mary and Martha.

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Lazarus, of course, is the one who Jesus

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raised from the dead.

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Naturally,

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there's no more honored guest that this

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family could have visit.

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It's hard to imagine just how thankful they

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must be.

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They prepare a special meal to celebrate

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Jesus' arrival.

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Martha's busy serving the dinner.

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Lazarus is reclining at the table with Jesus.

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How's that for a remarkable picture?

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The one who was raised from the dead,

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and the one who raised him from the dead,

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lying back sharing a meal together.

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Then Mary does something astonishing.

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She takes a pound of perfume, about half a litre.

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Just think about the tiny bottles they sell

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perfume in these days, and you'll get an

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idea of how extravagant this is.

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The perfume itself is pure nard,

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a product that's been imported to the Roman

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Empire from northern India,

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again showing that what Mary's about to do

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is incredibly extravagant.

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She takes the perfume and uses it to anoint

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Jesus' feet.

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She pours it all out on Jesus' feet.

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Then, as if that's not a big enough show of

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affection,

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she lets down her hair

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and wipes his feet with it.

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This isn't a sexual thing.

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Foot cleaning was usually the dirty job of

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a slave or servant.

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Mary is showing her

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utter devotion to Jesus.

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She gives him her wealth, she gives him her

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dignity, she gives him her service.

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Jesus did the most wonderful thing for her

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and her family in restoring Lazarus to them,

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and Mary wants to publicly acknowledge just

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how thankful she is.

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John, the author of the gospel and an

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eyewitness who is actually there in the

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room at the dinner,

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Gives us this lovely detail in verse three:

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He says,

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So the house was filled with the fragrance

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of the perfume.

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In the midst of this beautiful, fragrant scene,

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a dark cloud suddenly hangs over the group,

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a voice of righteous indignation from one

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of the disciples,

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none other than Judas Iscariot.

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And I just checked before, but

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every single time that Judas Iscariot is

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mentioned in the Gospels,

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The authors tell us that he's the one who

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betrays Jesus.

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When his betrayal is being described, then

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it's pretty obvious, but when he's

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mentioned at some other time, like here,

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the authors go out of their way to tell you

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exactly what he's done.

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So John tells us in verse 4,

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Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot,

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who was about to betray him,

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said,

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Why hasn't this perfume sold for 300

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denarii and given to the poor?

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Now,

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Far be it from me to side with the betrayer

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of Jesus.

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And yet,

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it feels a little bit like he's got a

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point, right?

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I mean, 300 denarii,

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a Roman soldier,

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was paid 200 denarii a year.

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So this is a small fortune.

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And in an instant,

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Mary's poured this small fortune on Jesus' feet.

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Did she really have to use that much?

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Couldn't she have just shown her devotion

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use less

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and sold the rest and given it to the poor?

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Wouldn't that be kind? Wouldn't that be

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loving?

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It feels like a weighty argument,

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even if it is from Judas, the guy who's

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about to betray Jesus.

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Before we get to Jesus' response,

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John wants us to know that

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Judas isn't as righteous as he sounds.

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His motives aren't all that pure.

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John tells us in verse 6,

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He didn't say this because he cared about

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the poor,

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but because he was a thief.

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He was in charge of the money bag and would

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steal part of what he put in it.

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If Mary had sold the perfume and pulled the

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money for distribution,

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who'd be looking after that money?

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Judas.

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It's so easy to make a righteous-sounding

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argument,

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but have evil motives.

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Jesus doesn't address the heart motivation

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of Judas's comment,

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but he does respond to the comment itself.

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His reply is about understanding the times.

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He tells the group that something's about

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to happen that's so momentous,

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so history-making,

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that means that what Mary's done is totally

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appropriate.

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If the disciples understood what time

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they're in,

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her gesture would make complete sense.

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He tells Judas in verse 7,

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Leave her alone.

282

00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:52,160

She has kept it for the day of my burial,

283

00:10:52,560 --> 00:10:54,600

for you always have the poor with you,

284

00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:57,200

but you do not always have me.

285

00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:00,080

Mary might be thinking,

286

00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:01,120

Um,

287

00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:03,040

for your burial? No,

288

00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:05,600

no, that's not what I kept it for.

289

00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:08,480

You may not have noticed Jesus, but you're

290

00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:09,360

still alive.

291

00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:12,640

It seems highly unlikely that Mary really

292

00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:14,560

understands what Jesus is about to go

293

00:11:14,560 --> 00:11:14,880

through.

294

00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:16,640

Instead,

295

00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,080

there's something bigger in her act of love

296

00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,680

and devotion than even she realizes.

297

00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:25,080

Her pouring out the oil on Jesus is more

298

00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,040

appropriate than she could have imagined.

299

00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:30,000

Jesus knows he's not going to be around

300

00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:30,640

much longer.

301

00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:32,720

He knows that the time when people will

302

00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:36,200

prepare his body for burial is almost here.

303

00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:38,560

It seems ironic that

304

00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,040

as Jesus reclines at the table with

305

00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:41,840

Lazarus,

306

00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,480

the living proof that he has power over

307

00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:45,280

life and death,

308

00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:47,600

the man who he first met while he was

309

00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:49,760

wrapped up for burial lying in a tomb.

310

00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:52,480

It's strange that with Lazarus next to him,

311

00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:55,520

Jesus is talking about his own death now.

312

00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:57,680

It's almost like he's about to take

313

00:11:57,680 --> 00:11:59,440

Lazarus's place in the tomb.

314

00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:03,440

Jesus' statement seems ominous,

315

00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:06,040

saying that he's about to leave them, about

316

00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:06,800

to be buried.

317

00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:10,040

It seems at odds with Jesus' power and

318

00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:10,960

prestige.

319

00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:12,720

And yet,

320

00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:14,800

as they'll realize later,

321

00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,960

his words are highly appropriate for this

322

00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:20,160

moment in time.

323

00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:50,400

News spreads that Jesus is in Bethany, and

324

00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:52,000

people flock to see him.

325

00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:54,480

They don't just come to see him though,

326

00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:56,800

they also want to see Lazarus, the man

327

00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:58,840

they've heard about being raised from the

328

00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:00,000

dead by Jesus.

329

00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:02,800

In the minds of the chief priests, this is

330

00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:03,600

terrible.

331

00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:06,560

They come up with a plan to kill Lazarus as well.

332

00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,320

They want to destroy the evidence in favor

333

00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:10,080

of Jesus.

334

00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,200

It shows the foolishness of their position.

335

00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:16,320

There's this guy with the power of life and death,

336

00:13:16,560 --> 00:13:18,320

and we think we can kill him.

337

00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:20,560

Oh, and there's this guy who's actually

338

00:13:20,560 --> 00:13:22,760

already died, but who's been raised from

339

00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:23,200

the dead.

340

00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:24,960

We need to kill him as well.

341

00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:27,440

This is madness.

342

00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:29,280

It's blindness.

343

00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:32,440

If you've been shown categorically that you

344

00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:33,600

are wrong about someone,

345

00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:36,040

the correct response shouldn't be to get

346

00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:37,040

rid of the evidence.

347

00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:39,920

They should acknowledge who Jesus really is.

348

00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:42,560

they're so blinded by

349

00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:43,920

jealousy though that

350

00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:46,000

they can't see what they're doing

351

00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:48,160

John tells us in verse 10

352

00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:50,360

the chief priests had decided to kill

353

00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:51,360

Lazarus also

354

00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:54,160

because he was the reason many of the Jews

355

00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:55,200

were deserting them

356

00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:56,960

and believing in Jesus

357

00:13:58,160 --> 00:13:59,200

just like Judas

358

00:13:59,560 --> 00:14:02,320

they say they have good motives protecting

359

00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:04,320

the honor of God protecting the Jewish

360

00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:05,680

nation from the Romans

361

00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:07,040

protecting the truth

362

00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:08,800

but actually

363

00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:10,560

They're just jealous.

364

00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:14,400

The next day, a

365

00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:17,520

rumor flies around the crowds of people who

366

00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:19,640

have come to Jerusalem for Passover.

367

00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:22,240

Jesus is coming! Jesus is coming!

368

00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:24,480

They grab palm branches.

369

00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:26,480

Palm branches had become the national

370

00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:27,520

symbol of Judah.

371

00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:30,280

You wave them in times of celebration and

372

00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:30,880

victory.

373

00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:33,680

They take the palm branches and spread out

374

00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:36,000

along the road from Jerusalem to Bethany.

375

00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:38,720

As they go, they're shouting the words of

376

00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:40,320

Psalm 118,

377

00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:43,840

a psalm that celebrates how God saved his people

378

00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:46,400

and asks for him to come and help them again.

379

00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:48,880

Hosanna, which they're going to sing,

380

00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:51,840

literally means give salvation now. And

381

00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:54,080

they quote a section that both

382

00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:55,600

asks for salvation

383

00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:58,880

and rejoices in the one that God sent to

384

00:14:58,880 --> 00:14:59,440

give it.

385

00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:02,360

In verse 13, we're told that they kept

386

00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:02,960

shouting,

387

00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:06,480

Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the

388

00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:07,440

name of the Lord,

389

00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:09,040

the King of Israel!

390

00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:12,800

The people are pretty explicit about who

391

00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:14,080

they think Jesus is.

392

00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,360

He's the Savior King promised from long ago.

393

00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:20,560

You may remember that back in chapter 6,

394

00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:23,200

people wanted to come and make Jesus King

395

00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:24,080

by force.

396

00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:26,560

Jesus got away really quickly,

397

00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:29,120

not because he isn't the King.

398

00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:31,600

but because their understanding of what it

399

00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:33,600

means for him to be the king

400

00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:35,520

was completely wrong.

401

00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:38,720

For them, it was about nation building and

402

00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:40,240

making war on the Romans.

403

00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:42,320

On this occasion,

404

00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:45,240

Jesus deliberately acts like a king, he

405

00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:46,560

accepts the title,

406

00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:50,240

but he undermines the idea of a warrior king.

407

00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:52,800

He doesn't come in riding on a mighty

408

00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:53,680

warhorse,

409

00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:56,880

instead he comes in riding on a donkey.

410

00:15:57,600 --> 00:15:59,200

He hasn't come to make war.

411

00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:01,360

He's come to bring peace.

412

00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:04,200

You can tell that especially from the fact

413

00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,560

that Jesus is fulfilling an Old Testament

414

00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:07,200

prophecy.

415

00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:09,920

John tells us that Jesus is fulfilling

416

00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:12,160

Zechariah 9 verse 9

417

00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,080

and paraphrases it, saying,

418

00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:16,880

Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion.

419

00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:19,320

Look, your king is coming, sitting on a

420

00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:20,240

donkey's colt.

421

00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:22,240

So Jesus

422

00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:23,440

is the king.

423

00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:26,160

But what sort of king is he?

424

00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:30,320

Well, he is not just a king for Israel.

425

00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:33,360

He is not just a nationalistic king.

426

00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:36,560

He is Israel's king, but his rule is

427

00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:38,480

actually over the whole world.

428

00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:41,040

Zechariah tells us he is going to bring

429

00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:42,560

universal peace

430

00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:45,280

because he will have universal rule.

431

00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:48,560

There will be no more war where this king rules

432

00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:50,120

and he rules everywhere.

433

00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:51,920

Let me read it to you.

434

00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:54,960

This is Zechariah 9 verses 9 and 10.

435

00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:58,640

Rejoice greatly, daughter Zion, shout in

436

00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:00,560

triumph, daughter Jerusalem.

437

00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:03,200

Look, your king is coming to you, he is

438

00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:05,040

righteous and victorious,

439

00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:07,040

humble and riding on a donkey,

440

00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:09,520

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

441

00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:12,480

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and

442

00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:13,920

the horse from Jerusalem.

443

00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:17,280

The bow of war will be removed, and he will

444

00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:19,360

proclaim peace to the nations.

445

00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,960

His dominion will extend from sea to sea,

446

00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:24,720

from the Euphrates River

447

00:17:25,120 --> 00:17:26,240

to the ends of the earth.

448

00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:29,840

As the disciples are watching all this,

449

00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:31,920

they're not thinking, Wow, this is just

450

00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:33,760

like what Zechariah said would happen.

451

00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:36,640

John's actually really upfront about his

452

00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:37,520

own ignorance.

453

00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:38,400

He says,

454

00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:40,480

We didn't get it at the time.

455

00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:42,080

It didn't make sense to us.

456

00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:44,880

Sometimes you can't really make sense of a

457

00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:47,040

puzzle until you have all the pieces.

458

00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:49,440

So John says in verse 16,

459

00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,040

His disciples did not understand these

460

00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:52,960

things at first.

461

00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:56,160

However, when Jesus was glorified,

462

00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:58,240

then they remembered that these things had

463

00:17:58,240 --> 00:17:59,440

been written about Him,

464

00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,240

and that they had done these things to Him.

465

00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:06,240

Glory is coming for Jesus,

466

00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,200

and that is when understanding will come

467

00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:10,320

for the disciples.

468

00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:13,040

If you think that Jesus riding into

469

00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:15,320

Jerusalem with all these people cheering

470

00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:16,880

and waving is glorious,

471

00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:18,960

you ain't seen nothing yet.

472

00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:21,200

Meanwhile,

473

00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:24,080

There are people in the crowd with some news,

474

00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:26,640

and they can't keep it to themselves.

475

00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:28,720

You can imagine one of them saying,

476

00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:30,720

I was there, you know,

477

00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:33,440

and 10 people around him suddenly stop

478

00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:34,720

shouting and huddle in.

479

00:18:35,120 --> 00:18:36,640

You were there? What did you see? Did it

480

00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:38,480

really happen like they say it happened?

481

00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:40,560

And the first person replies,

482

00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:42,960

I tell you the absolute truth.

483

00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:45,760

We rolled away the stone in front of the tomb.

484

00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:48,640

Jesus called Lazarus to come out, and out

485

00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:49,360

he came.

486

00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:52,200

and the ten people around him let out a

487

00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:53,600

really satisfying,

488

00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:54,560

Oh!

489

00:18:56,640 --> 00:18:58,400

John tells us in verse 17,

490

00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:01,240

Meanwhile the crowd, which had been with

491

00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:03,320

him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb

492

00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:04,640

and raised him from the dead,

493

00:19:05,120 --> 00:19:06,800

continued to testify.

494

00:19:07,360 --> 00:19:09,480

This is also why the crowd met him, because

495

00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:11,760

they heard that he had done this sign.

496

00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:15,600

The Pharisees, it's fair to say,

497

00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:17,520

are not having a good day.

498

00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:21,360

In their minds, the plans locked in to kill Jesus.

499

00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:23,880

They have commanded people to report to

500

00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:25,520

them if they see Jesus.

501

00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:28,160

And yet here's this fugitive

502

00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:30,960

riding openly towards Jerusalem,

503

00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,600

with thousands upon thousands of people

504

00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:35,960

cheering and waving palm branches and

505

00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:37,360

hailing him as king.

506

00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:40,880

Things don't seem to be going according to plan.

507

00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:43,600

They say to one another in verse 19.

508

00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:46,400

You see, you've accomplished nothing.

509

00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:48,720

Look, the world has gone after him.

510

00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:52,080

They're actually saying more than they

511

00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:52,880

understand,

512

00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,000

because having the world come after the king

513

00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:58,720

is exactly what you'd expect from

514

00:19:58,720 --> 00:19:59,440

Zechariah,

515

00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:01,520

the universal king

516

00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:03,440

with universal rule.

517

00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:07,080

But of course, it's just an exaggeration,

518

00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:07,520

isn't it?

519

00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:10,120

They don't actually mean that people from

520

00:20:10,120 --> 00:20:12,240

all over the world are coming to see Jesus.

521

00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:14,960

The Pharisees are just using flowery

522

00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:15,600

language,

523

00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:17,200

except

524

00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:19,360

in the very next scene,

525

00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,000

some representatives of the world

526

00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:23,920

do come to see Jesus.

527

00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:25,920

And suddenly,

528

00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:29,040

the moment that Jesus' whole life and

529

00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:29,680

ministry,

530

00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:32,560

and indeed the whole of history has been

531

00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:33,760

heading towards,

532

00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:35,360

suddenly

533

00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:36,960

arrives.

534

00:21:01,438 --> 00:21:03,958

People travel from all over the place to

535

00:21:03,958 --> 00:21:06,078

worship at the Passover festival,

536

00:21:06,878 --> 00:21:08,718

not just from Judea and Galilee.

537

00:21:09,118 --> 00:21:10,798

but far beyond as well.

538

00:21:11,598 --> 00:21:14,118

It'd feel like the world is gathering to

539

00:21:14,118 --> 00:21:14,878

Jerusalem.

540

00:21:15,678 --> 00:21:16,478

Now though,

541

00:21:17,198 --> 00:21:19,358

the world goes to Jesus.

542

00:21:20,478 --> 00:21:21,598

Some Greeks are there, and

543

00:21:22,078 --> 00:21:24,318

they're really keen to meet Jesus.

544

00:21:24,798 --> 00:21:26,958

We get a sort of reversal of what happened

545

00:21:26,958 --> 00:21:27,838

in chapter one,

546

00:21:28,158 --> 00:21:30,158

when new disciples went out and got their

547

00:21:30,158 --> 00:21:31,038

friends saying,

548

00:21:31,278 --> 00:21:32,958

Come and meet this guy Jesus.

549

00:21:33,838 --> 00:21:34,478

This time,

550

00:21:34,878 --> 00:21:36,958

these Greeks already want to meet him.

551

00:21:37,598 --> 00:21:39,598

Verse twenty-one says, So they came to

552

00:21:39,598 --> 00:21:40,078

Philip,

553

00:21:40,318 --> 00:21:42,398

who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and

554

00:21:42,398 --> 00:21:43,438

requested of him, 'Sir,

555

00:21:44,158 --> 00:21:45,518

we want to see Jesus.'

556

00:21:46,238 --> 00:21:48,638

Philip went and told Andrew, then Andrew

557

00:21:48,638 --> 00:21:49,198

and Philip

558

00:21:49,438 --> 00:21:50,718

went and told Jesus.

559

00:21:52,078 --> 00:21:53,758

One of the key features we've seen in

560

00:21:53,758 --> 00:21:54,638

John's Gospel

561

00:21:54,958 --> 00:21:57,118

is when Jesus gets asked a particular

562

00:21:57,118 --> 00:21:59,358

question and then gives an answer that

563

00:21:59,358 --> 00:22:01,918

seems to have nothing to do with what they asked.

564

00:22:02,718 --> 00:22:03,838

When it happens,

565

00:22:04,158 --> 00:22:05,918

you know you're going to learn something

566

00:22:05,918 --> 00:22:07,118

really important.

567

00:22:07,598 --> 00:22:09,598

And this is one of those situations.

568

00:22:10,758 --> 00:22:12,798

Jesus has just been asked if these Greeks

569

00:22:12,798 --> 00:22:13,838

can come and see him.

570

00:22:14,398 --> 00:22:16,078

You'd think it's a straightforward yes or

571

00:22:16,078 --> 00:22:16,878

no question.

572

00:22:17,518 --> 00:22:20,318

But Jesus has something much bigger in mind.

573

00:22:20,878 --> 00:22:22,878

Remember, he's identified himself as the

574

00:22:22,878 --> 00:22:24,958

king who Zechariah spoke about,

575

00:22:25,198 --> 00:22:27,278

the king who'd rule the whole world.

576

00:22:27,878 --> 00:22:29,518

Earlier in the gospel, he's identified

577

00:22:29,518 --> 00:22:31,998

himself with the God of the Old Testament.

578

00:22:32,958 --> 00:22:35,278

So when the king who's going to rule the world

579

00:22:35,758 --> 00:22:37,598

and the God who owns the world

580

00:22:37,918 --> 00:22:39,918

has the world coming to Him,

581

00:22:40,758 --> 00:22:42,478

what should you expect to happen?

582

00:22:44,078 --> 00:22:45,758

Well, you can read about it in the very

583

00:22:45,758 --> 00:22:47,278

last chapter of Isaiah.

584

00:22:47,838 --> 00:22:50,398

Isaiah chapter 66, verse 18.

585

00:22:50,638 --> 00:22:52,438

Listen to what the people of the world are

586

00:22:52,438 --> 00:22:53,198

going to see.

587

00:22:53,438 --> 00:22:54,638

This is God speaking.

588

00:22:54,638 --> 00:22:55,118

He says,

589

00:22:55,598 --> 00:22:57,358

Knowing their works and their thoughts,

590

00:22:57,598 --> 00:23:00,158

I have come to gather all nations and

591

00:23:00,158 --> 00:23:00,958

languages.

592

00:23:01,438 --> 00:23:02,558

They will come

593

00:23:03,038 --> 00:23:04,878

and see my glory.

594

00:23:06,478 --> 00:23:08,878

God will gather the world to display his

595

00:23:08,878 --> 00:23:10,558

glory, his greatness.

596

00:23:11,118 --> 00:23:13,598

And so when Greeks come and ask to see

597

00:23:13,638 --> 00:23:16,318

Jesus, this is what he says in verse 23,

598

00:23:17,198 --> 00:23:18,958

the hour has come

599

00:23:19,358 --> 00:23:20,798

for the Son of Man

600

00:23:21,038 --> 00:23:22,238

to be glorified.

601

00:23:23,758 --> 00:23:24,478

This is it.

602

00:23:25,198 --> 00:23:26,158

This is the moment.

603

00:23:26,398 --> 00:23:29,198

This is when Jesus' glory will be on full

604

00:23:29,198 --> 00:23:31,598

display for all the world to see.

605

00:23:32,158 --> 00:23:33,918

But they won't see it in the way they might

606

00:23:33,918 --> 00:23:34,718

expect.

607

00:23:35,198 --> 00:23:37,278

People expect to see the King's glory in

608

00:23:37,278 --> 00:23:38,718

power and strength.

609

00:23:39,478 --> 00:23:42,158

Jesus expects to show his glory through his death.

610

00:23:42,958 --> 00:23:44,398

He says in verse 24,

611

00:23:45,038 --> 00:23:46,118

Truly I tell you,

612

00:23:46,718 --> 00:23:48,998

unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground

613

00:23:48,998 --> 00:23:49,838

and dies,

614

00:23:50,158 --> 00:23:51,758

it remains by itself.

615

00:23:52,558 --> 00:23:53,838

But if it dies,

616

00:23:54,158 --> 00:23:55,918

it produces much fruit.

617

00:23:57,358 --> 00:23:59,038

It's such a simple picture, isn't it?

618

00:23:59,438 --> 00:24:01,758

How did all that wonderful life come about?

619

00:24:02,238 --> 00:24:03,678

Through the death of the seed.

620

00:24:04,398 --> 00:24:07,358

In this moment, the central event of all of

621

00:24:07,358 --> 00:24:07,918

history,

622

00:24:08,838 --> 00:24:10,638

Jesus is offering His death

623

00:24:11,358 --> 00:24:14,398

to produce a wonderful harvest of life.

624

00:24:15,998 --> 00:24:17,598

But He isn't just talking about

625

00:24:17,838 --> 00:24:18,638

His own death.

626

00:24:19,438 --> 00:24:21,518

In case you think that Jesus does all the

627

00:24:21,518 --> 00:24:23,758

hard part and then life is easy for His

628

00:24:23,758 --> 00:24:24,318

followers,

629

00:24:24,878 --> 00:24:25,598

think again.

630

00:24:26,478 --> 00:24:28,438

Sure, Jesus takes the punishment for the

631

00:24:28,438 --> 00:24:30,078

sin of everyone who trusts Him.

632

00:24:30,238 --> 00:24:32,718

He does things in His death that means that

633

00:24:32,718 --> 00:24:33,918

we don't have to face them.

634

00:24:34,718 --> 00:24:36,318

And yet at the same time,

635

00:24:36,878 --> 00:24:38,158

followers need to follow.

636

00:24:39,158 --> 00:24:42,238

Jesus understands the moment, the hour he's in.

637

00:24:42,958 --> 00:24:45,598

We need to understand the moment we're in.

638

00:24:46,838 --> 00:24:49,118

Jesus explains that this life you have

639

00:24:49,118 --> 00:24:49,918

right now,

640

00:24:50,878 --> 00:24:53,038

that's not the life you need to live for.

641

00:24:53,758 --> 00:24:55,678

This life is coming to an end.

642

00:24:56,238 --> 00:24:57,198

You can make this life

643

00:24:57,438 --> 00:25:00,078

easy if you just love whatever the sinful

644

00:25:00,078 --> 00:25:02,958

world loves, say whatever the sinful world says,

645

00:25:03,198 --> 00:25:05,198

think whatever the sinful world thinks.

646

00:25:05,598 --> 00:25:07,678

If Jesus had done that, he never would have

647

00:25:07,678 --> 00:25:08,638

been crucified.

648

00:25:10,238 --> 00:25:12,878

But if you follow the sinful world in this life,

649

00:25:13,758 --> 00:25:15,998

that'll lead to the consequence of sin,

650

00:25:16,718 --> 00:25:18,398

death and eternal judgment.

651

00:25:19,358 --> 00:25:21,278

If you side with Jesus, though, if you

652

00:25:21,278 --> 00:25:24,078

follow him in his loves and words and

653

00:25:24,078 --> 00:25:25,358

thoughts and actions,

654

00:25:26,638 --> 00:25:27,798

The world will hate you

655

00:25:28,798 --> 00:25:30,238

like they hated Jesus,

656

00:25:31,518 --> 00:25:33,678

but God will honor you for it.

657

00:25:34,638 --> 00:25:36,398

You may lose this life,

658

00:25:37,038 --> 00:25:39,358

but you'll gain eternal life.

659

00:25:40,598 --> 00:25:42,158

Jesus says in verse 25,

660

00:25:42,638 --> 00:25:45,278

The one who loves his life will lose it,

661

00:25:45,838 --> 00:25:48,478

and the one who hates his life in this world

662

00:25:49,038 --> 00:25:50,878

will keep it for eternal life.

663

00:25:51,838 --> 00:25:54,398

If anyone serves me, he must follow me.

664

00:25:54,638 --> 00:25:57,998

Where I am, there my servant also will be.

665

00:25:58,798 --> 00:26:00,158

If anyone serves me,

666

00:26:01,118 --> 00:26:02,638

the Father will honor him.

667

00:26:04,078 --> 00:26:06,038

Of course, the Father honoring us doesn't

668

00:26:06,038 --> 00:26:07,118

make life easy.

669

00:26:07,598 --> 00:26:10,078

And if it's hard for us, how much harder is

670

00:26:10,078 --> 00:26:10,958

it for Jesus,

671

00:26:11,358 --> 00:26:13,558

who faces judgment so we don't have to?

672

00:26:14,478 --> 00:26:16,158

And it would be so easy.

673

00:26:16,558 --> 00:26:19,278

So easy for Jesus to say to his father,

674

00:26:19,518 --> 00:26:19,958

Father,

675

00:26:20,238 --> 00:26:21,918

please don't make me go through this,

676

00:26:21,918 --> 00:26:24,158

please rescue me, please save me.

677

00:26:25,598 --> 00:26:26,398

He doesn't though,

678

00:26:27,038 --> 00:26:29,518

because he understands the moment he's in.

679

00:26:30,158 --> 00:26:32,798

He understands that this moment is the very

680

00:26:32,798 --> 00:26:34,078

reason he's here.

681

00:26:34,878 --> 00:26:36,318

He says in verse 27,

682

00:26:37,438 --> 00:26:39,038

Now my soul is troubled.

683

00:26:39,478 --> 00:26:41,678

What should I say, Father, save me from

684

00:26:41,678 --> 00:26:42,318

this hour?

685

00:26:43,118 --> 00:26:45,358

But that is why I came to this hour.

686

00:26:46,238 --> 00:26:46,798

Father,

687

00:26:47,438 --> 00:26:48,958

glorify your name.

688

00:26:50,158 --> 00:26:52,158

Then a voice came from heaven, I have

689

00:26:52,158 --> 00:26:53,038

glorified it,

690

00:26:53,358 --> 00:26:55,518

and I will glorify it again.

691

00:26:57,038 --> 00:26:58,878

Interesting that Jesus doesn't say he

692

00:26:58,878 --> 00:27:00,558

glorify my name.

693

00:27:01,038 --> 00:27:02,918

He said before that the hour has come for

694

00:27:02,918 --> 00:27:05,358

the Son of Man to be glorified, for him to

695

00:27:05,358 --> 00:27:06,318

be glorified.

696

00:27:07,118 --> 00:27:09,358

But that isn't his prayer, that isn't his

697

00:27:09,438 --> 00:27:10,318

end goal.

698

00:27:11,038 --> 00:27:14,078

His glorification is a means to the end of

699

00:27:14,078 --> 00:27:15,998

having his Father glorified.

700

00:27:16,558 --> 00:27:18,678

And he's willing to suffer torment and

701

00:27:18,678 --> 00:27:20,958

shame and death for that end.

702

00:27:21,598 --> 00:27:23,918

He wants the whole world to see that his

703

00:27:23,918 --> 00:27:26,958

Father is good and loving and just and fair

704

00:27:26,958 --> 00:27:27,518

and great.

705

00:27:27,998 --> 00:27:31,358

That's good for the world to see his glory.

706

00:27:32,438 --> 00:27:33,758

And the Father agrees.

707

00:27:34,238 --> 00:27:36,798

He says about his name, I have glorified it

708

00:27:36,798 --> 00:27:38,398

and I will glorify it again.

709

00:27:40,398 --> 00:27:41,918

Don't be fooled into thinking that the

710

00:27:41,918 --> 00:27:43,758

cross is easy for the Father,

711

00:27:44,078 --> 00:27:46,238

that Jesus has all the pain and the Father

712

00:27:46,238 --> 00:27:47,278

gets all the glory.

713

00:27:47,758 --> 00:27:49,878

No, giving Jesus over to the cross is the

714

00:27:49,878 --> 00:27:52,198

greatest act of painful love in all the

715

00:27:52,198 --> 00:27:52,958

universe.

716

00:27:53,758 --> 00:27:55,278

John 3:16 says,

717

00:27:55,678 --> 00:27:57,838

For God loved the world in this way.

718

00:27:58,158 --> 00:28:00,558

He gave His one and only Son,

719

00:28:00,798 --> 00:28:02,878

so that everyone who believes in Him will

720

00:28:02,878 --> 00:28:05,118

not perish but have eternal life.

721

00:28:06,558 --> 00:28:08,798

So what's going to be seen to be glorious

722

00:28:08,798 --> 00:28:10,318

about God at the cross?

723

00:28:11,518 --> 00:28:13,038

His astounding love

724

00:28:13,918 --> 00:28:16,718

in the excruciatingly painful gift

725

00:28:16,958 --> 00:28:17,838

of his Son

726

00:28:18,878 --> 00:28:20,718

in order to give his enemies

727

00:28:21,318 --> 00:28:22,318

eternal life

728

00:28:23,518 --> 00:28:26,198

his enemies who think he's mean and cruel

729

00:28:26,198 --> 00:28:27,358

and horrible

730

00:28:28,638 --> 00:28:31,358

God's working to show the world his glory

731

00:28:32,158 --> 00:28:34,958

and what we'll see that's glorious about him

732

00:28:35,998 --> 00:28:37,038

is his love.

733

00:29:08,638 --> 00:29:10,878

The people standing around Jesus have heard

734

00:29:10,878 --> 00:29:14,078

this massive voice booming from the sky and

735

00:29:14,078 --> 00:29:14,558

they're like,

736

00:29:15,038 --> 00:29:15,838

Was that thunder?

737

00:29:16,558 --> 00:29:19,038

Others were like, Nah, man, an angel spoke to him.

738

00:29:19,598 --> 00:29:20,878

They're totally confused.

739

00:29:21,118 --> 00:29:23,678

They have no idea what moment of time

740

00:29:23,678 --> 00:29:24,318

they're in,

741

00:29:25,118 --> 00:29:26,398

which is heartbreaking.

742

00:29:26,878 --> 00:29:29,038

Because Jesus says to them in verse 30,

743

00:29:29,758 --> 00:29:32,958

This voice came not for me, but for you.

744

00:29:33,678 --> 00:29:35,398

He wants them to know what's about to

745

00:29:35,398 --> 00:29:35,918

happen.

746

00:29:36,438 --> 00:29:38,718

All of history is about to pivot around

747

00:29:38,718 --> 00:29:39,438

this event.

748

00:29:39,918 --> 00:29:40,558

He says,

749

00:29:41,198 --> 00:29:43,278

Now is the judgment of this world.

750

00:29:43,598 --> 00:29:46,638

Now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

751

00:29:47,198 --> 00:29:49,598

As for me, if I am lifted up from the

752

00:29:49,638 --> 00:29:50,798

earth, I will draw

753

00:29:51,078 --> 00:29:52,558

all people to myself.

754

00:29:53,598 --> 00:29:56,078

He said this to indicate what kind of death

755

00:29:56,078 --> 00:29:57,198

he was about to die.

756

00:29:58,718 --> 00:30:00,398

It raises an obvious question.

757

00:30:00,798 --> 00:30:02,558

In this pivotal moment,

758

00:30:02,958 --> 00:30:05,038

are you going to stand with Jesus, the one

759

00:30:05,038 --> 00:30:06,958

drawing all people to himself,

760

00:30:07,598 --> 00:30:09,118

or with the ruler of the world?

761

00:30:09,358 --> 00:30:10,158

That's Satan.

762

00:30:11,038 --> 00:30:12,798

It's a funny title for Satan.

763

00:30:12,798 --> 00:30:14,718

Surely God's the ruler of the world,

764

00:30:15,118 --> 00:30:15,918

and he is.

765

00:30:16,078 --> 00:30:18,878

Satan ultimately is subject to God, even as

766

00:30:18,878 --> 00:30:20,078

he fights against him.

767

00:30:21,038 --> 00:30:23,118

But when Adam and Eve first sinned,

768

00:30:23,678 --> 00:30:25,758

They thought they were taking power for

769

00:30:25,758 --> 00:30:27,998

themselves, gaining independence.

770

00:30:28,558 --> 00:30:30,878

But by listening to the voice of Satan,

771

00:30:31,438 --> 00:30:34,158

they came under his power and influence.

772

00:30:34,638 --> 00:30:36,158

They didn't become free,

773

00:30:36,638 --> 00:30:38,958

they enslaved themselves to the one who

774

00:30:38,958 --> 00:30:39,998

wanted to kill them.

775

00:30:41,518 --> 00:30:43,278

Virtually no one today would say they

776

00:30:43,278 --> 00:30:45,758

worship Satan, or they're on his side, or

777

00:30:45,758 --> 00:30:46,958

they're in his kingdom.

778

00:30:47,758 --> 00:30:50,158

But actually, they're totally under his sway.

779

00:30:51,038 --> 00:30:51,758

Atheists

780

00:30:51,998 --> 00:30:53,918

are atheists because Satan doesn't want

781

00:30:53,918 --> 00:30:55,038

them to believe in God.

782

00:30:55,758 --> 00:30:58,198

Muslims are Muslims because Satan doesn't

783

00:30:58,198 --> 00:31:00,158

want them to believe in the one true God.

784

00:31:00,958 --> 00:31:03,038

Greed and selfishness and pride are

785

00:31:03,318 --> 00:31:07,118

all ways for Satan to distract people from God.

786

00:31:08,158 --> 00:31:09,518

But Jesus is saying,

787

00:31:09,918 --> 00:31:13,038

now's the time for Satan's reign to end.

788

00:31:13,598 --> 00:31:16,958

Now's the time for people to be truly set free.

789

00:31:17,678 --> 00:31:20,158

As Jesus spreads out his arms on the cross,

790

00:31:20,238 --> 00:31:22,798

he'll gather people into his arms to give

791

00:31:22,798 --> 00:31:25,758

them life and freedom and love.

792

00:31:27,838 --> 00:31:30,158

Rather than hearing Jesus' words as a call

793

00:31:30,158 --> 00:31:32,638

to action, a call to stand with him and

794

00:31:32,638 --> 00:31:34,158

reject sin and Satan,

795

00:31:35,038 --> 00:31:37,278

the people get caught up on asking who

796

00:31:37,318 --> 00:31:38,958

Jesus is identifying as.

797

00:31:39,678 --> 00:31:41,678

In a sense, that's not a bad question.

798

00:31:41,678 --> 00:31:44,718

John's gospel is all about the identity of Jesus.

799

00:31:45,598 --> 00:31:47,438

It does feel though like they've been

800

00:31:47,438 --> 00:31:49,838

distracted from the main point of what

801

00:31:49,838 --> 00:31:51,118

Jesus is saying here.

802

00:31:51,918 --> 00:31:54,078

Their question is around titles.

803

00:31:54,678 --> 00:31:57,598

They think Jesus is the Messiah or Christ,

804

00:31:57,998 --> 00:31:59,838

the King who God promised to send.

805

00:32:00,638 --> 00:32:02,958

But he's using this title Son of Man,

806

00:32:03,278 --> 00:32:05,398

which does come from the Old Testament,

807

00:32:05,398 --> 00:32:07,198

like the title Messiah, but

808

00:32:07,438 --> 00:32:09,038

it's a little bit more obscure.

809

00:32:09,518 --> 00:32:11,278

So they ask in verse 34,

810

00:32:11,918 --> 00:32:14,158

we have heard from the law that the Messiah

811

00:32:14,158 --> 00:32:15,358

will remain forever.

812

00:32:15,838 --> 00:32:17,838

So how can you say the Son of Man must be

813

00:32:17,838 --> 00:32:18,478

lifted up?

814

00:32:18,798 --> 00:32:20,078

Who is this Son of Man?

815

00:32:21,798 --> 00:32:24,238

Jesus had said and done enough to show that

816

00:32:24,238 --> 00:32:26,958

he is both Messiah and the Son of Man.

817

00:32:28,038 --> 00:32:29,598

Even if they don't get that,

818

00:32:30,078 --> 00:32:32,118

even if they only think he's one or the other,

819

00:32:32,718 --> 00:32:34,438

it should be enough for them to listen to

820

00:32:34,438 --> 00:32:35,278

what he's saying.

821

00:32:35,798 --> 00:32:37,758

When the plane's about to crash and you're

822

00:32:37,758 --> 00:32:39,518

getting instructions from the cockpit,

823

00:32:39,998 --> 00:32:41,678

you don't have a debate about whether it's

824

00:32:41,678 --> 00:32:43,838

the pilot or the copilot speaking.

825

00:32:44,238 --> 00:32:45,198

You don't say, Wait,

826

00:32:45,438 --> 00:32:47,478

I thought that we're meant to be landing in Paris.

827

00:32:47,478 --> 00:32:49,278

What do you mean we're diverting to London?

828

00:32:50,078 --> 00:32:51,758

You listen to the instructions,

829

00:32:52,238 --> 00:32:54,878

because the moment you're in demands that

830

00:32:54,878 --> 00:32:56,718

you listen very carefully,

831

00:32:57,358 --> 00:33:00,078

especially when time's running out.

832

00:33:00,958 --> 00:33:03,158

And time is running out for these people

833

00:33:03,158 --> 00:33:04,478

listening to Jesus.

834

00:33:04,958 --> 00:33:07,318

They've had three years of experiencing

835

00:33:07,318 --> 00:33:08,318

Jesus' ministry,

836

00:33:08,558 --> 00:33:10,238

and it's about to come to an end with a

837

00:33:10,238 --> 00:33:11,278

sudden bang.

838

00:33:11,838 --> 00:33:13,838

Like if you are walking next to a cliff on

839

00:33:13,838 --> 00:33:14,798

a dark night

840

00:33:15,038 --> 00:33:17,358

and your torch battery suddenly dies,

841

00:33:17,878 --> 00:33:19,838

Jesus says to them in verse 35,

842

00:33:20,478 --> 00:33:22,278

The light will be with you only a little

843

00:33:22,278 --> 00:33:22,798

longer.

844

00:33:23,358 --> 00:33:25,358

Walk while you have the light,

845

00:33:25,678 --> 00:33:27,798

so that darkness doesn't overtake you.

846

00:33:28,638 --> 00:33:30,878

The one who walks in darkness doesn't know

847

00:33:30,878 --> 00:33:31,838

where he's going.

848

00:33:32,278 --> 00:33:34,718

While you have the light, believe in the light,

849

00:33:34,958 --> 00:33:37,518

so that you may become children of light.

850

00:33:38,598 --> 00:33:39,838

Jesus said this.

851

00:33:40,478 --> 00:33:41,358

then went away

852

00:33:41,598 --> 00:33:42,718

and hid from them.

853

00:33:44,278 --> 00:33:44,958

And that's it!

854

00:33:45,358 --> 00:33:45,918

Bang!

855

00:33:46,238 --> 00:33:48,238

The end of Jesus' public ministry!

856

00:33:49,358 --> 00:33:51,438

And how they respond to Jesus,

857

00:33:52,158 --> 00:33:53,598

how we respond to Him,

858

00:33:54,318 --> 00:33:55,838

is a matter of life

859

00:33:56,238 --> 00:33:56,718

or death,

860

00:33:57,838 --> 00:34:00,718

light or dark, truth or lies.

861

00:34:01,358 --> 00:34:03,198

It isn't time for wavering.

862

00:34:03,998 --> 00:34:06,638

Will you walk in the light that only Jesus

863

00:34:06,638 --> 00:34:07,278

can bring?

864

00:34:08,798 --> 00:34:10,318

Or will you stay in the dark?

865

00:34:31,178 --> 00:34:33,978

So, as Jesus' ministry comes to a close,

866

00:34:34,298 --> 00:34:36,298

how have people responded to Him?

867

00:34:36,878 --> 00:34:39,478

to all the signs pointing to who he is, all

868

00:34:39,478 --> 00:34:41,198

the words of truth and grace,

869

00:34:41,518 --> 00:34:43,678

all the light shed into the darkness.

870

00:34:44,718 --> 00:34:45,918

Well, John sums it up,

871

00:34:46,718 --> 00:34:48,238

and it's not very positive.

872

00:34:48,718 --> 00:34:50,238

He says in verse 37,

873

00:34:50,798 --> 00:34:53,158

even though he'd performed so many signs in

874

00:34:53,158 --> 00:34:55,518

their presence, they did not believe in him.

875

00:34:57,358 --> 00:34:57,598

Huh.

876

00:34:59,038 --> 00:34:59,438

OK,

877

00:35:00,598 --> 00:35:01,518

what a letdown.

878

00:35:02,638 --> 00:35:04,398

Why? Why don't they believe?

879

00:35:04,798 --> 00:35:07,158

Has Jesus not done enough? Has he not been

880

00:35:07,158 --> 00:35:09,038

clear enough? Has he not helped them

881

00:35:09,038 --> 00:35:09,518

enough?

882

00:35:10,638 --> 00:35:10,958

No.

883

00:35:12,238 --> 00:35:12,878

Actually,

884

00:35:13,438 --> 00:35:15,838

this was God's plan all along.

885

00:35:16,478 --> 00:35:17,758

He said this would happen.

886

00:35:18,598 --> 00:35:20,478

Jesus said before that it's a time of

887

00:35:20,478 --> 00:35:21,118

judgment,

888

00:35:21,518 --> 00:35:23,918

and the judgment comes by having the truth

889

00:35:23,918 --> 00:35:25,358

right there in front of them,

890

00:35:26,238 --> 00:35:28,558

but being hardened so they don't accept it.

891

00:35:29,758 --> 00:35:31,598

That's what happened back in Isaiah's day,

892

00:35:31,598 --> 00:35:33,518

750 years before.

893

00:35:34,238 --> 00:35:35,998

and it is happening even more now.

894

00:35:36,718 --> 00:35:38,718

John tells us in verse 39,

895

00:35:39,358 --> 00:35:41,678

This is why they were unable to believe,

896

00:35:42,238 --> 00:35:45,438

because Isaiah also said he has blinded

897

00:35:45,438 --> 00:35:46,398

their eyes

898

00:35:46,878 --> 00:35:48,798

and hardened their hearts

899

00:35:49,198 --> 00:35:51,758

so that they would not see with their eyes

900

00:35:51,758 --> 00:35:53,998

or understand with their hearts and turn

901

00:35:54,078 --> 00:35:55,598

and I would heal them.

902

00:35:57,518 --> 00:35:59,678

God has blinded their eyes.

903

00:36:00,318 --> 00:36:02,558

He's hardened their hearts, just like he

904

00:36:02,558 --> 00:36:04,158

did to Pharaoh back in Egypt.

905

00:36:04,718 --> 00:36:06,718

This is the warning people like to think

906

00:36:06,718 --> 00:36:08,678

that they can make any decision they want

907

00:36:08,678 --> 00:36:09,998

at any time they want.

908

00:36:10,558 --> 00:36:12,398

But when God says your time is up,

909

00:36:12,638 --> 00:36:14,238

there's nothing you can do.

910

00:36:14,798 --> 00:36:16,918

Even when the truth is staring you in the

911

00:36:16,918 --> 00:36:18,478

face, you won't see it,

912

00:36:19,358 --> 00:36:21,438

because you've come under God's judgment.

913

00:36:22,558 --> 00:36:24,718

It's why the Sanhedrin said Jesus is a

914

00:36:24,718 --> 00:36:26,398

liar, we need to kill him.

915

00:36:26,478 --> 00:36:27,118

Oh wait,

916

00:36:27,758 --> 00:36:29,678

he's just raised someone from the dead.

917

00:36:29,918 --> 00:36:31,598

Well let's just kill that person too.

918

00:36:32,558 --> 00:36:34,478

There's a sort of madness to it

919

00:36:35,158 --> 00:36:37,598

and that madness is a consequence

920

00:36:37,838 --> 00:36:40,078

for their ongoing rejection of God.

921

00:36:40,878 --> 00:36:42,398

It's his judgment on them.

922

00:36:44,478 --> 00:36:46,558

God has allowed some people to believe

923

00:36:46,558 --> 00:36:46,878

though,

924

00:36:47,478 --> 00:36:49,598

even some of the rulers believe in Jesus,

925

00:36:50,478 --> 00:36:52,158

but their belief is weak.

926

00:36:52,718 --> 00:36:55,598

It's fearful, or fearful of the wrong thing.

927

00:36:56,158 --> 00:36:58,238

They don't fear God and his judgment,

928

00:36:58,798 --> 00:36:59,918

they fear people.

929

00:37:00,718 --> 00:37:02,478

John says in verse 42,

930

00:37:02,958 --> 00:37:05,118

Many did believe in him, even among the

931

00:37:05,118 --> 00:37:05,678

rulers,

932

00:37:05,998 --> 00:37:07,998

but because of the Pharisees they did not

933

00:37:07,998 --> 00:37:08,798

confess him,

934

00:37:09,118 --> 00:37:10,798

so they would not be banned from the

935

00:37:10,798 --> 00:37:11,438

synagogue,

936

00:37:11,918 --> 00:37:14,558

for they loved human praise more than

937

00:37:14,558 --> 00:37:15,598

praise from God.

938

00:37:17,438 --> 00:37:19,598

Hard to know what all that means in the end.

939

00:37:19,918 --> 00:37:22,318

Is their belief real belief? Is it a

940

00:37:22,318 --> 00:37:24,158

genuine trust in Jesus?

941

00:37:24,398 --> 00:37:26,558

Or is it just mentally acknowledging who

942

00:37:26,558 --> 00:37:27,358

Jesus is?

943

00:37:28,438 --> 00:37:30,638

Jesus said before what it means to follow

944

00:37:30,638 --> 00:37:31,838

him or not follow him.

945

00:37:32,158 --> 00:37:34,438

He said, The one who loves his life will

946

00:37:34,438 --> 00:37:36,798

lose it, and the one who hates his life in

947

00:37:36,798 --> 00:37:39,198

this world will keep it for eternal life.

948

00:37:39,918 --> 00:37:42,398

If anyone serves me, he must follow me.

949

00:37:43,038 --> 00:37:43,918

Where I am,

950

00:37:44,318 --> 00:37:46,238

there my servant also will be.

951

00:37:46,798 --> 00:37:49,678

If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

952

00:37:50,878 --> 00:37:52,318

It's like these people are trying to have

953

00:37:52,318 --> 00:37:53,198

it both ways,

954

00:37:53,598 --> 00:37:54,318

belief

955

00:37:54,718 --> 00:37:55,918

and human praise,

956

00:37:57,038 --> 00:37:57,838

but they can't.

957

00:37:58,718 --> 00:38:01,118

You can either chase human praise

958

00:38:01,598 --> 00:38:02,798

or honor from God.

959

00:38:04,638 --> 00:38:05,838

As a final wrap-up,

960

00:38:06,238 --> 00:38:08,638

we're told one more statement from Jesus,

961

00:38:09,038 --> 00:38:11,278

a full stop to his public ministry.

962

00:38:12,038 --> 00:38:12,718

After this,

963

00:38:13,038 --> 00:38:14,878

we'll only see him ministering to his

964

00:38:14,878 --> 00:38:15,758

disciples.

965

00:38:16,558 --> 00:38:18,238

And Jesus lays it all out.

966

00:38:18,798 --> 00:38:21,118

Make a choice, life or death, light or

967

00:38:21,118 --> 00:38:21,838

darkness,

968

00:38:22,078 --> 00:38:23,518

judgment or salvation.

969

00:38:24,478 --> 00:38:26,558

He's made it clear throughout his ministry,

970

00:38:26,558 --> 00:38:27,758

will you listen?

971

00:38:28,158 --> 00:38:30,158

Will you believe? Will you obey?

972

00:38:31,158 --> 00:38:33,278

Jesus isn't trying to share a self-help

973

00:38:33,278 --> 00:38:35,358

method that'll work for some and not for

974

00:38:35,358 --> 00:38:35,758

others.

975

00:38:36,078 --> 00:38:38,638

He isn't trying to sell you a 10-step guide

976

00:38:38,638 --> 00:38:39,278

to wisdom.

977

00:38:39,838 --> 00:38:41,918

He's offering to lift you out of your

978

00:38:41,918 --> 00:38:44,798

casket, take you out of your grave, and

979

00:38:44,798 --> 00:38:48,078

breathe life into you that'll last forever.

980

00:38:48,958 --> 00:38:50,558

Here's his summary statement.

981

00:38:50,878 --> 00:38:53,198

In verse 44, Jesus cries out,

982

00:38:54,078 --> 00:38:56,878

The one who believes in me believes not in me,

983

00:38:57,358 --> 00:38:58,798

but in him who sent me,

984

00:38:59,318 --> 00:39:02,158

and the one who sees me sees him who sent me.

985

00:39:02,798 --> 00:39:05,118

I have come as light into the world,

986

00:39:05,358 --> 00:39:07,518

so that everyone who believes in me would

987

00:39:07,518 --> 00:39:09,198

not remain in darkness.

988

00:39:09,758 --> 00:39:12,558

If anyone hears my words and doesn't keep them,

989

00:39:12,958 --> 00:39:14,238

I do not judge him,

990

00:39:14,638 --> 00:39:16,518

for I did not come to judge the world but

991

00:39:16,518 --> 00:39:17,678

to save the world.

992

00:39:18,398 --> 00:39:20,478

The one who rejects me and doesn't receive

993

00:39:20,478 --> 00:39:22,638

my sayings has this as his judge.

994

00:39:23,118 --> 00:39:25,438

The word I have spoken will judge him on

995

00:39:25,438 --> 00:39:26,238

the last day,

996

00:39:26,798 --> 00:39:28,638

for I have not spoken on my own,

997

00:39:29,038 --> 00:39:31,678

but the Father himself who sent me has

998

00:39:31,758 --> 00:39:34,958

given me a command to say everything I've said.

999

00:39:35,918 --> 00:39:38,558

I know that his command is eternal life.

1000

00:39:39,438 --> 00:39:40,958

So the things that I speak,

1001

00:39:41,438 --> 00:39:44,078

I speak just as the Father has told me.

1002

00:39:46,518 --> 00:39:48,478

Jesus understood perfectly

1003

00:39:48,878 --> 00:39:50,078

the moment he was in.

1004

00:39:51,598 --> 00:39:54,158

Do you understand the moment you're in?

1005

00:39:55,838 --> 00:39:58,158

It isn't a time to waver or doubt.

1006

00:39:58,638 --> 00:40:00,758

It isn't a time to give a bit of belief to

1007

00:40:00,758 --> 00:40:02,798

Jesus, but seek honor from the world.

1008

00:40:03,678 --> 00:40:06,638

It's the time to throw your lot completely

1009

00:40:06,638 --> 00:40:08,558

and fully in with Jesus.

1010

00:40:09,518 --> 00:40:11,918

It may make some things harder in this life,

1011

00:40:12,638 --> 00:40:15,558

but it will mean life forever in the family

1012

00:40:15,558 --> 00:40:16,238

of God,

1013

00:40:16,798 --> 00:40:19,158

with God honoring you for the decision you

1014

00:40:19,158 --> 00:40:19,758

have made.

1015

00:40:20,478 --> 00:40:23,198

It will mean an eternity celebrating the

1016

00:40:23,198 --> 00:40:26,078

wonderful glory of our great God,

1017

00:40:26,798 --> 00:40:28,158

the God who saves.

1018

00:40:29,758 --> 00:40:30,878

Back in Jerusalem,

1019

00:40:31,638 --> 00:40:33,438

Jesus knows his hours come.

1020

00:40:33,918 --> 00:40:35,998

He knows that the cross is imminent

1021

00:40:36,718 --> 00:40:37,758

before he goes there.

1022

00:40:38,398 --> 00:40:40,518

He's going to sit down with his disciples

1023

00:40:40,518 --> 00:40:42,638

and prepare them for what's ahead.

1024

00:40:43,758 --> 00:40:44,878

But that's a story

1025

00:40:45,598 --> 00:40:46,558

for next time.

1026

00:40:57,538 --> 00:40:58,898

Thanks everyone for listening.

1027

00:40:58,898 --> 00:41:00,418

I hope you found it helpful.

1028

00:41:00,738 --> 00:41:02,418

If you want to help others with the same

1029

00:41:02,418 --> 00:41:04,018

thing, I'd love it if you can hit the

1030

00:41:04,018 --> 00:41:06,098

five-star rating in your listening app of

1031

00:41:06,098 --> 00:41:06,578

choice.

1032

00:41:06,818 --> 00:41:08,018

That would be a huge help.

1033

00:41:08,578 --> 00:41:11,098

Also, why not hit the share button and post

1034

00:41:11,098 --> 00:41:12,818

this episode on social media?

1035

00:41:13,618 --> 00:41:14,898

Keep trusting Jesus.

1036

00:41:15,358 --> 00:41:16,078

Bye for now.

1037

00:41:16,078 --> 00:41:16,820