Are you ready to see Jesus’ glory v.23
Jesus understands that this week is the last week of His public ministry and really the focus of His entire earthly ministry
The people were expecting the powerful Davidic warrior king
Dead & Glorious v. 24
Instead Jesus tells them that He is going to die
With Farming
1) we cannot rush or control this process - it’s not passive but the farmer has to trust and wait
2) there is an element of time & season - bearing fruit and covering a field must happen in due season
this is contrary to the way that we would do it -
Consider 1 Corinthians 1:18
What we must understand about God’s work -
God’s methods and timing are His own - we trust in Him and He provides the fruit.
BUT THAT’S NOT ALL - sometimes He asks us to do hard things
*Backwards & Mixed Up Kingdom Principles v. 25 *
Jesus confronts us with the topsy turvy upside down nature of power, authority and even glory in the Kingdom - and right here He applies it to our lives
loss is gain and gain is loss -
“hate” μισέω (miseō) - your life
on the word “hate” μισέω (miseō) - there is another word (bdelyssomai) which is more like abhor/ be disgusted by
the word “hate” μισέω (miseō) looks more at the way we act / separate ourselves from the object of our hate
Consider Luke 14:26
*”Hating” our lives means that our will, comfort, your five year plan, - even our safety and our life must take a back seat to following Him. *
And that is HARD - and here is how that plays out
A Hard Road Ahead v. 26
Jesus WILL call us to uncomfortable places
places where we don’t feel safe
call us to be bold when we would rather be quiet /
quiet when we would rather speak out
He will call us to give when we don’t think we have anything left to give
and He will call us to serve when we are too tired to go on
this is all true … but it comes with 2 inherent promises
He never calls us to be somewhere He is not
The father Honors us when we follow faithfully
Too Blessed to be Stressed v. 27
Consider
Luke 22:44
does Jesus say “too blessed to be stressed?” -
and He walks forward knowing that “is why [He] came to this hour”
just because God calls you to a difficult moment (and He often does —> see above) doesn’t mean that it’s easy or happy
So what do we do? :
When God calls us to a hard road, call out to Him , acknowledge our hurt and walk forward with one Goal …
*Glorify HIS Name v. 28*
This is Jesus’ first concern and His prayer is the Father’s Glory
the Father recounts to Jesus that He has already done this -
possibly referring to His appearing at Jesus’ baptism and looking forward to the mount of transfiguration.
or maybe He’s talking about the raising of Lazarus and looking forward to the raising of Jesus from the tomb
As we walk forward with a heart that seeks God’s glory first, the more God will confirm His work in our lives
Perceiving God v. 29
I think there is an element of spiritual sensitivity or receptivity in how people react to hearing God’s Voice
Voice of God and Judgment of the world vv. 30-31
These are a very packed couple of verses and I think they are related -
Satan has dominion
without Christ -
we are each judged according to our own righteousness and sin -
2 Corinthians 5:10
We all fall short of God’s Standard
Romans 3:23
this fact gives Satan complete dominion over the world - …..
But …
in Jesus, Satan is dethroned
his dominion and authority is cut off
Now the world will be judged based on what we do with Jesus
because of that
every affirmation of Christ - is a boon to an unbelieving world
this is an opportunity for people to see and believe in Christ -
to be freed from the rule of Satan
Every miracle, affirmation and move of God points towards Christ’s glory, draws people to Jesus and erodes Satan’s hold on the world
Death = Victory ?? vv. 32-33
The verse tells us that that “lifted up” refers to crucifixion.
in Jewish Law - stoning was how the death penalty was carried out
and being hanged on a tree is a curse -
Consider Deuteronomy 21:23
the Messiah being hung on a cross is such a backwards way of drawing people to Himself,
In conquering sin and death Jesus is supplanting “the ruler of this world”
He’s not saying that everyone will be saved, but that everyone will be under His authority and dominion
Christ’s death on a cross was the final nail in the coffin for Satan’s rule.
Misunderstanding the Messiah v. 34
in v 34 we see more evidence that the people had a very specific idea about the nature of Messiah
Son of man used in
Daniel 7:13–14
Jesus’ dominion WILL last forever - it won’t be destroyed or pass away -
but His dominion is so much bigger than they had imagined
God’s plan, and His glory is focused on the bigger picture
“Children of Light” vv. 35-36
Jesus offers for us to become children of the light
back to Jesus’ teachings about light and darkness
Salvation throughout is a fundamental change in who/what we ARE
The crowds are calling for someone to save them from circumstances
The salvation that Jesus gives goes beyond this world -
but the offer is only available for a time - understand that He is calling us to obedience here and now
We are called to walk a hard road- that sometimes requires sacrifice and uncertainty in this world, but we walk forward in confidence because our Messiah’s salvation is bigger and better than anything we can imagine.