Jesus Presents Himself as Savior

John 12:31-50

 

INTRO: When the Greeks came to Philip saying, “Sir, we would see Jesus,” in verse 21, the door was opened for Jesus to reveal the far-reaching extent of His redemptive work.  Redemption would not be confined to the Jews only, but would reach to the ends of the earth.  Wherever the Gospel is preached, there are trophies of grace captured from Satan’s ranks.  “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mk 16:15).

 

I.        VSS 31-36, THE POWER OF THE CROSS

A.       Vs 31, Satan is the prince of the world.  The Greek word used for prince is archor, meaning “leader, ruler, or prince.”  Here he is called “the prince of this world.”  In Matthew 12:24, he is the “prince of devils,” or demons.  In Ephesians 2:2, he is “the prince of the power of the air.”

1. Jesus said, “Now is the judgment of this world....”  Jesus here speaks of His death on the cross.  By His death, Jesus condemned the world and its wickedness.

a. Believers are dead to the world, and the world is dead to them.

b. The believer has victory in Jesus.

2. “Cast out.”  The tense of the verb denotes a gradual casting out.  Satan’s grip on the world was broken at the cross.

a. The first point in the castings out of Satan took place on the cross (Col 2:15).  Christ stripped Satan and his imps of their power.

b. The second point in the casting out of Satan will occur when he is cast out of heaven into the earth (Rev 12:9-10).

c. The third point in the casting out is found in Rev 20:3 where Satan is cast into the bottomless pit for a thousand years.

d. The fourth and final point of Satan being cast out is found in Rev 20:10 where Satan is cast into the lake of fire.

3. Jesus speaks the words of this verse in anticipation of sure victory where life comes out of death, and victory comes out of apparent defeat.

B.       Vs 32-33, Are all men drawn to Christ in saving faith?  The answer is no.  In context, what is being said is that out of every nation, kindred, and tongue, men will be drawn to the crucified Christ now risen from the grave.

1. William Hendriksen says: “By means of his crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and coronation, Jesus attracts to himself (i.e. to abiding faith in himself) all of God’s elect, from every age, clime, and nation” (203).

2. Jesus draws men by means of His Word and the Holy Spirit.  The same word used for “draw” in this verse is used in John 6:44.  Who are those that are drawn?  John 6:37 tells us that all that the Father has given to Jesus will come to Him; they will be drawn to Him.

3. Jesus had to be lifted up on an old rugged cross so that you and I could be drawn to him.  That’s what He is saying (note vs 33).

C.      Vs 34, The words of this verse were spoken with contempt.  How could they have missed such passages as Isaiah 53 and Zechariah 13:7 which spoke of a crucified Messiah?  When they referred Jesus to the law, they referred Him to selected sections, not the whole Old Testament.  The idea here is, “What’s this talk about being lifted up; who is the Son of man anyway?”

D.      Vs 35, For just a few more days, the Light would be with them.  Soon He would not longer tarry among them.  Soon He would be crucified and the time of light and opportunity would come to a close.  Soon the nation of Israel would be without the light.  This is what Jesus warns them of.  History gives us the rest of the story concerning the continued rejection of Jesus by the Jews; and the price they have paid as they walk in darkness.

E.       Vs 36, While you have the Light, the source of truth, the way of salvation, believe!  This is what Jesus was saying.

1. By believing, they would become children of light.  By believing, you will become a child of light (Eph 5:8).

2. Jesus departed.  Note the great significance of these words.

a. “These things” takes in the entire public ministry of Jesus among the Jews.

b. When Jesus had completed his task among the Jews, He departed.  This was it; the end of His public ministry, vss 44-50, are a summary of all His public ministry.

 

II.       VSS 37-43, ISRAEL’S UNBELIEF

A.       Vs 37, Overall the response to our Lord’s ministry was that of unbelief.

1. This unbelief was inexcusable because of all that Christ had done.

2. “They believed not on Him,” is in the imperfect tense meaning that there was a constant and progressive unwillingness to believe on Jesus by faith.  This is evidence of man’s great depravity.  This reminds us of the progressive unwillingness to believe in Christ of our day.

B.       Vs 38, The Jews by their unbelief unknowingly fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy.  They did not believe, and because of this, the prophecy was fulfilled.

C.      Vs 39-40, “In consequence of their rejection of Christ, the nation as a whole was judicially blinded of God, that is, they were left to the darkness and harness of their own evil hearts” (Pink 281).

1. Note carefully the words of 12:37 and 12:39.

a. In 12:37, it says, “They believed not on Him.”  And in 12:39, it says, “they could not believe.”

b. Christ had appealed to them; He had invited them to believe.  Evidence of miracles had been presented, yet they rejected the Christ.  They would not believe.

2. “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near” (Isa 55:6).

D.      Vs 41, This is absolute evidence of the deity of Christ.  The reference is Isaiah 6:1-5, 9-10.