Monday - Some Greeks Desire to See Jesus

Okay, I'm going to put you on the spot a little bit tonight. We're in the last week of our Lord's life beginning with the Friday before His crucifixion, which is on a Friday, I believe A couple of different views on that, but I believe it was on a Friday But anyway the Friday prior to the crucifixion What did Jesus do? What what was going on on that week before the crucifixion? Okay, the temple will come a little bit later, but on the Friday Curse the fig trees a little bit later too We're really going back a few weeks now. Sorry. I really input me on the spot Actually on that Friday is when he journeyed to Bethany and That's about all we know that happened on that Friday. He journeyed to Bethany from From Jericho, so it was a whole day trip, but he went to Bethany where Mary and Martha and Lazarus live and Stays there. What did he do on Saturday? Nothing right nothing it was Sabbath day so the scriptures don't record anything on That that Saturday what happened then on Sunday Inner Jerusalem. Yeah, I remember he sent his disciples to find the the Donkey the cult of a donkey and then he rode into Jerusalem to great fanfare Remember the triumphal entry. It's called on Palm Sunday and the Bible says that he entered the temple area looked around but it was late in the day and so he left the city and went on back to Bethany now Monday is where we have been and still are tonight the the first Day where there's a lot of activity in Jerusalem What's the first thing that happened on Monday as they go into Jerusalem somebody said it earlier I think Steve cursing the fig tree right happens as as they go into the city of Jerusalem remember that was not just a Angri cursing of an innocent fig tree poor little fig tree it was it was actually A symbolic object lesson for all that he would be teaching in the temple on Tuesday Which which had to do with the rejection of Ishtriol of their Messiah and the fact that they would face the judgment of God because of that A tree that that showed great promise should have had figs had no fruit is a symbol of the nation that is hypocritical that has great outward Outward show, but no fruit no real substance of spiritual life And then what happened after the fig tree what what did Jesus do in Jerusalem? Cleansing the temple Yes And we talk about that last week that Jesus over through the tables of the money changers and and drove them out with a cord of whip of cords and Stopped the traffic that was freely flowing through the quarter of the Gentiles which had become a kind of like a street A shortcut between the city Jerusalem and the road going out of Jerusalem the Mount of Olives So Jesus is very active In demonstrating his authority over the place he called his father's house Which was to be a house of prayer particularly as a witness to the Gentiles And it certainly was not functioning that way and so he cleanses the temple Then he taught in the temple remember he taught he was teaching in the temple and children were Were continuing the cries from the day before Hosanna um From some one eighteen and the chief priests and religious leaders are saying do you hear what those children are saying Jesus quiet them down and Jesus responds that Haven't you read from Psalm 8 verse 2 that that God will use the voices of children to raise up praise to his name and then we saw Just started into another event that happens on that Monday evidently while Jesus is still in the area of the temple and What was that Actually, I'm I'm teasing you a little bit. It's on the screen The Greeks the Greeks come to see Jesus There are some Greeks that come were in John chapter 12 tonight John chapter 12 In verses 20 to 22 the Greeks Approach Jesus the Cyples remember they found one that was Had a Greek name and was from a Greek area um Although several of the other disciples were from that area too, but they come to fill it and they have a request So we would like to see Jesus and that to see Jesus is not just We would just like to watch him pass by now. This is the word to see means to be whole to gaze to gaze on to spend time with The idea is we would like to have an interview with him. We would like to spend some time With him and so Phillips not quite sure how to handle that with these Gentiles and all that's going on So he asks Andrew and they go and tell Jesus now. This is where we pick up in John chapter 12 and verse 23 That encounter that question For the Greeks to come see Jesus uh Causes Jesus to respond in such a way that he focuses on his death And so Jesus is going to reflect on the reasons for his death as a result of these Greeks coming to ask if they can talk with him That was an interesting tie in there and we'll see it as we go through this passage But there's something about these Gentiles these Greeks coming to talk with Jesus that is kind of like um You know kind of like a timing on the clock it the clock strikes a particular hour Which is significant for Jesus and he begins to talk about his death and and it is a very emotional Time when our Lord begins talking about this and we'll see that as we go through he gives several reasons for his death As he speaks of his death the first one in verses 23 to 26 Is to bring life The first purpose of Jesus death is to bring life now notice verse 23 Jesus replied Okay, he replies to Andrew and Philip who are asking if these Greeks can seem Jesus replied the hour has come for the son of man to be glorified now That seems like a strange response doesn't it? I mean you would think Jesus would reply yes Okay, it's fine. I will talk with them or no. This is not the time But he doesn't say anything about the Greeks It is as though the request for the Greeks to see Jesus triggers something in Jesus Life and ministry and response It's like this sets the clock ticking on a different trajectory than what it has before and and so Jesus says the hour has come For the son of man to be glorified What is he talking about there? What hour is he talking about The crucifixion okay, he says the hour has come for the son of man to be glorified What does what does it mean for Jesus to be glorified? When is that going to take place? At the resurrection and his ascension back into to heaven But there's some things that have to happen first for that to happen right the death the burial Then the resurrection and later the ascension back to glory Back into heaven to sit at the right hand of the father in his glory This this expression the son of man is going to be glorified Is is use the few times in the gospels as a kind of a summary expression a summary of Of the whole package deal of his death burial resurrection and later glorification ascension into heaven And sometimes it's just spoken of as his departure Um Jesus will talk to them about his departure um Moses and Elijah on the amount of transpiguration talk to Jesus about his departure and so Uh all of that is kind of a code word if you will for the whole Sequence of events that are going to be taking place So when Jesus says the hour has come for the son of man to be glorified It's not like within this next 60 minutes. I'm going to be glorified The hour is a particular time for a sequence of events. So it's a particular time period in the Lord's timetable for what all is happening in in Jesus Life and ministry, okay The very interesting expression the hour has come. This is the first time Jesus says this It's a it's a very familiar expression in the book of John five times before this The expression has been used three times Jesus said it but five times in the gospel of John it has been said It was not his hour his hour had not yet come his time had not yet come something to that effect five times Things are not going to happen because his hour has not yet come This is the first time where Jesus says the hour has come The hours come this is a significant turning point and it is initiated and generated by this desire of the Greeks to see him and so He begins his response by saying this is a significant time marker The hour has come this this is now the time For the sequence of events that will result in my glorification back in heaven to begin Verse 24 he then uses an illustration if you will of a seed that produces life He says very truly. I tell you unless a kernel of wheat Falls to the ground and dies it remains only a single seed But if it dies it produces many seeds Okay, this is an illustration really kind of an object lesson of Death producing the life If if a kernel of grain Or wheat as he says If you just keep that by itself then it just stays the one kernel of wheat if it dies if you put it in the ground Then it produces growth and life and many seeds And Jesus is using that as an illustration of his own death Okay, he is the kernel of wheat that will be placed in the ground that will that will die and be buried and because of his death There will be many seeds there will be many there will be much life that will be reproduced Because of of his death. It's obvious that he's talking about that Because he's initiating this conversation about the hour That he's going to be glorified the time for the sequence of events his death burial resurrection glorification So this is just an illustration of that when it's planted it multiplies and produces life That's a symbol of Jesus Jesus death and then he then he says something else he uses the same principle of Jesus followers In verse 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life Whoever serves me must follow me and where I am my servant also will be my father will honor the one who serves me of the idea kind of Tailing on the end tagging onto the end of the idea of Jesus being the wheat that That dies and that death produces life Jesus says in in the same way the same principle is true of those who will be my followers You have to lose your grip on your life you have to give up your life In order to find life See you if you give up your life then you find life you find eternal life um In verse 25 Hate your life in this world. You'll keep it for eternal life that is you give up your life You die Okay, you you die in the sense that you die to self and you give up your own life your own way and you come to Christ It's a picture of salvation and what you're doing in salvation then You live you see that's the only way for you to really live spiritually to have eternal life And so he's kind of following that symbolism of Death produces life That's true for the son of man for the Savior But it's also true in one sense for the believer as well We have to die to our own way our own efforts to get to heaven and when we do that when we give up our own life And lose our grip on our own way of trying to get to heaven that's when we get eternal life See that comes through in a sense a death and then we are saved through his life so The first purpose of his death then he mentions is to bring life It's through his death that life comes he is the the kernel of wheat that dies planted in the ground buried in the ground and through that comes life Okay, any comments or questions about those verses Sure Sure, yeah further application as as believers even after we're saved We die to self our own self will our own way Jesus talks about if you want to become my disciple you deny yourself take up your cross follow me So yeah, there is I think a further application even for believers Yeah, for sure Good Okay, the second second reason for his death is in verses 37 or 27 to 30 and that is to glorify the Father When Jesus is now talking about his death um The grain of wheat falls into the ground dies it'll bring forth life the hour has come for me to be glorified all of this Thinking about his death brings a surge of emotion that drives him to prayer And this is a very emotional statement that Jesus makes as he begins To come to his father and and just spontaneously begins to talk to his father in prayer He says in verse 27 now my soul is troubled and what shall I say father saved me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason. I came to this hour Father glorify your name Does that sound familiar what does that sound like? Obedience to his father yes, that's where it ends up The Garden of Gethsemane doesn't it that struggle that that Anguish you can see it you can hear it in his voice My soul is troubled and he wants to pray what shall I pray he wants to pray father saved me from this hour Doesn't that sound an awful lot like what he'll pray in just a few days Father take this cup from me But but then he says no no, I'm not gonna pray that Because it was for this very reason that I came to this hour So I know that that I came to die There's this anguish this struggle spiritually with what he knows is lying before him and there is a real struggle here as there will be in the Garden of Gethsemane But just as he will in the Garden of Gethsemane The conclusion of the struggle is obedience because he says father glorify your name So it is a submission to the father's will Lord your will be done father your will be done you glorify your name your purpose What your plan is in this hour not mine Not what I'm thinking or what I'm even fearing at this time I will deal with the cup a little bit later and what all's involved in that when we get to the Garden of Gethsemane But I think there is some of this Struggle and anguish and battle even going on here as As Jesus is thinking about his about his death Showing his flesh in the sense of his humanity. Yeah Yeah, I think there was a very real Human shrinking from what was gonna happen on the cross now when we get to the Garden of Gethsemane And he frames it in terms of the cup I think we'll we'll see and I don't want to jump too far ahead of myself We'll see that the cup has an Old Testament background Which is the outpouring of God's wrath and what really Troubled Jesus on a human level as he approached the cross was being separated from his father And bearing the wrath God's wrath. I mean he had never known that before they had always had perfect fellowship all through eternity past and all through his His humanity here on earth and as he thought about that Being made a sin offering for us and the father turning his back on him and pouring his wrath for sin on his own son There was just a horrifying withdrawal from that And yet Jesus knew the only way we could be saved as to go through with it And so there was that that struggle between The shrinking from the horror of being separated from his father and yet obedience to his father You see that here even in this this expression It's a very intense time very intense Emotional experience the Lord is is entering into here and because of that notice what happens next I think this is so beautiful So wonderful what God does here middle of verse 28 Then a voice came from heaven I have glorified it and Will glorify it again Jesus has just prayed father glorify your name and the voice comes from heaven Implying it's the father's voice. I have glorified it He praised the father and the father responds. I I have glorified it. I will glorify it again What do you think Jesus is talking about there with those I have glorified it. I will glorify it again What two things is he talking about there He's His birth and his death Okay All right, the first one is looking to the past right. I have glorified it. So it has something to do with the past and I believe Jesus Being on this earth his birth his life and I will glorify it again in the context of what Jesus is praying that obviously refers to his death So I think what the father is saying um Is I have glorified my name Through your life and ministry and he's in a sense putting his commendation on everything that Jesus has done up to this point um Everything that you have done in your life and ministry even even in these growing up years You have perfectly obeyed me and you have glorified my name. I have glorified my name And I'm going to do that again and that obviously is a reference to his death But isn't it interesting that He speaks audibly to Jesus in this time when Jesus is beginning to enter into the anguish of the battle that he's facing this week The father's voice Was heard twice in our Lord's ministry life and ministry you remember when the first time was His baptism. Yeah His baptism Right at the beginning of his ministry right that was the event that kicked off his ministry right after the baptism He goes to be tempted by the devil and then he starts his public ministry The baptism was his public initiation in the ministry So at the very beginning of his ministry the father gives a an audible Commendation of him from heaven. This is my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased is what he said at that time At the very end of his ministry when he is facing the battle of the cross The father encourages him again With a public statement from heaven absolutely amazing to me The book end effect of that beginning of his ministry end of his ministry the two times when Jesus on a human level now And he was man remember the two times when Jesus needed the most encouragement As he initiated his ministry and as he closes it out with the cross looming over him The father speaks from heaven in a public testimony of affirmation and encouragement to his son Well, that's the very next thing that happens look take a look here Tommy and rest of us will look also Where are we? Verse 29 okay? The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered That's interesting isn't it That's the effect that it had on them like a clap of thunder and then others said an angel had spoken to him So there's some confusion on the part of the crowd is to exactly Where did this come from what what was this voice who who was speaking and Notice how Jesus interprets it or what he says about it verse 30 Jesus said this voice was for your benefit not mine Now Now obviously it had to be an encouragement to Jesus, but the primary reason for the public affirmation was for the benefit of the Heirs and even if some of them did not understand it for those who would Listen for anyone who would hear what this voice had to say it was a public testimony from heaven as to who Jesus is And his special relationship to the father it is a It is a testimony as to who he is straight from heaven For whoever would hear it for whoever would listen and understand it was that kind of voice So It was primarily done publicly For the benefit of those who could hear and respond to that Okay, so it's obvious that one of the reasons for Jesus death is to glorify the father He prays Lord glorify your name God says I have glorified it. I'm gonna do it again Obviously speaking of Christ death so Christ death and obedience to the father's will is one of the ways in which he glorifies the father Okay Comments questions there Angela first and then Steve You That he felt what I'm sorry the injustice of what was taking place on Sunday in the triumphal entry Yeah There's no question that Jesus on a human level New what was going on he knew that he was being publicly acclaimed and the very crowd that was doing that would turn against him by Friday He also knew that although this was a public statement writing into town on the donkey was a public statement as to who he was That he was also weeping as he rise into the city and so there's a lot of discontinuity there um Jesus felt that very deeply He knew the the judgment that would come up on history or because they would reject them and all of that's going on inside him And humanly speaking he is He's weeping he's very Agony he's an anguish over all that's happening no question Thank you All buildings that are around one, two to the same day, where there's still a great multitude of people with him. When this boy's happened and the second part of that was like the human pool would solve when prices appeared to him, they saw him like they didn't hear the voice. I think there's some of that. The voice being for their benefit, some, and the one boy that's not going to be there tonight. Intelligible to them? Yeah, it's hard to say. I mean, it could only be for their benefit if they could understand what was being said. So I think at least for some of them they understood. Maybe for others they didn't, Jesus will talk in a little bit about those who are blinded and cannot respond. So maybe there's some of that going on where people just heard kind of a rumble. But I think others understood the words. Or it would not have been for their benefit. It would not have had any benefit for them. I do think, yeah, there are still crowds following Jesus at this time. But remember there are large crowds that are just kind of curious. And there are many, especially the leadership who are still very opposed to him, trying to find any way they can to discredit him. It will really be starting on Tuesday when he stands up in the temple and answers the questions of the religious leaders and then rakes them over the coals in Matthew 23. The seven, whoa, unto you, judgment on you. That the tide of popular opinion begins to turn some because people are expecting him, the crowds are expecting him to set up his kingdom. And more and more of the week goes by. It doesn't sound like he's doing that. He came to pick a fight. And I think by the end of the week, they're ready to sway shift over to the religious leaders side. There's a lot of that going on. I think it's a very significant point that Walt's making. And it's going to come up in Jesus' comments in just a few moments here. And that is that there is a lot of what Jesus is responding to here. And the reason he is so moved to talk about his death is that it is the very fact that Gentiles are coming to him to seek an interview with him that focuses his thoughts on his death. Because Jesus, more than anyone else in the audience knows that his death opens the door wide for you and Gentile to become one body. And so the fact that Gentiles are showing an interest in him, he knows that's part of what his death is about to break down that wall of partition between Jew and Gentile so that it all can come into the body of Christ. That's what focuses him on his death is the fact that these are Gentiles that are coming to him. It's almost like a glimpse, a foretaste of what his death really means. So, yeah, very, very much a part of what's going on here is the fact that these are Gentiles. Pardon me? Yeah, it really is. I mean, the day before he's wept over the city of Jerusalem and pronounced the fact that they will be judged because they did not recognize the day of visitation when God visited them and the person of his son. And he's already thinking about the fact that Israel's done. Israel is being judged and now these Greeks are coming to him and it forces him to think about, yes, the meaning of the cross is the gospel is going to go now to the Gentiles. Yeah, there's a lot of that going on in our Lord's mind. No question. Okay, the third reason for his death is to win a spiritual victory in verses 31 to 33. Let's look at these quickly. Now is the time for judgment on this world. Now the prince of this world will be driven out. Okay, this hour, this timing, this death of Christ includes this spiritual victory where the world will be judged and the prince of this world will be driven out. That's an obvious reference to Satan. Satan will be defeated by what happens at the cross. Jesus' death defeats Satan. It pronounces his sentence. He's not yet executed. Okay, he still has some freedom. He's on a chain. He's still given some freedom even throughout this age. But it is the cross which will pronounce God's sentence of judgment on him. And so that's what Jesus is talking about here in verse 31. Then he says in verse 32, 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 what does the lifted up mean? What is it referring to? What is the cross, isn't it? This is an expression that used some other times in the gospel of John. You'll remember this one for sure. We're going to put them on the screen for you. John 3.14. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness. So the son of man must be lifted up. I mean, the imagery is so clear there because of the object lesson or the reference to the historical event in the book of numbers. Moses lifting up the serpent on a rod on a pole. The son of man is going to be lifted up on a tree on cross. And so the lifting up, it's very obvious that it's being placed on the cross. The other evidence of that, the other reference to it is in John 8. Verse 28. So Jesus said, when you have lifted up the son of man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own, but that's what the fathers taught me. Speaking to the religious leaders, when you've lifted me up, when you've crucified me, basically is what he's saying, then you'll know who I am. So that's a clear reference to the cross. And notice what Jesus says about what will happen when he's lifted up. He says, when I'm lifted up from the earth, when I die on the cross, I will draw all people to myself. So that means all people will be saved. Okay, obviously doesn't mean that. So what is this talking about? All groups of people. Okay. All in the sense of not universal salvation, not that everybody is going to be saved, but in a sense, all without distinction, Jew and Gentile. Now this is one case where it's very clear that this is what all means. Why? Because he's just been asked to talk to Gentiles. Okay. And so he's like Barry said, he's reflecting first of all upon the fact that Jews are rejecting him. And they are going to be under judgment, condemnation. Gentiles are now seeking him, which causes him to think about what's going to happen at the cross, where the door will be open to both Jew and Gentile. All people. It's not that every individual in the human race will end up in heaven. That's universalism. That's not what Jesus is talking about. But in the context, he's talking about, yes, the door is going to be open to the Gentiles too. So all people will have a chance to be saved. All people will have the opportunity. I'll draw all people to me, not just Jew, all people. So that's in the context quite clear what it means here. Not not every time the word all is used doesn't mean that. There are some who try to make it mean that, but they're twisting the context. Not every time that Jesus is speaking of as dying for all doesn't mean that there is there is some aspect of the death of Christ that does affect all people, at least in the way of a provision that is sufficient for all. Okay. Doesn't mean everybody's going to get saved. Doesn't mean everybody's going to be in heaven. And there are some verses that are very clear about that. But this is not saying that he's going to save everybody. Okay. So when a spiritual victory over the world and over over Satan. Wow. It is already eight o'clock. I really wanted to get to the responses to Christ's death because this is where it really gets really gets interesting where Jesus calls them to believe in him. And there are several responses, a couple of clear responses to his death. And Jesus says some very interesting things. We'll have to wait and get to that next time. But what is clear and what Jesus is saying is that the only way to get to heaven is through his death through Jesus death. That's the only way to get to heaven. Jesus death was accomplished in order to give us eternal life. It was done also to glorify the Father and it was done to win a spiritual victory over Satan and his kingdom. That will be judged by Jesus death on the cross. All right. Let's pray and we'll close. Father, thank you for your word and how clear it is if we just take the time to reflect upon it and study it, really see what it is saying. And Father, I thank you for our Lord. It is humbling. It is hallowed ground that we're walking on. And as you allow us to walk with him through those last days of his life to hear what he was thinking, to hear even the anguish in his soul as he approached that hour. What do we realize? We are privileged to be a part of hearing and seeing that. We pray, Father, that we will not approach that flippantly, that we will recognize the great price that Jesus paid for us, that this was not something which was rushed into accomplished with little and no effort done quickly. Lord, this was something that cost him dearly in terms of emotional anguish. And Lord, we know that he went through with it for us and helped us to be eternally grateful for that. To never take that lightly. Thank you, Lord, that we can know you and we can enter into in some fashion what happened with our Lord in those days. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.