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August 25, 2024 Covenant Reformed Baptist Church Tullahoma, TN Pastor Jeff Rice
In case she wasn't here for the announcements this morning we do have my wife make sure wanted me to say this and I forgot to say this. But we do have a fellowship meal after every service and feel free to please join us.
Even if you didn't bring anything there's always plenty. We take acts 242 very serious they gathered together for the teachings of the Apostles to break bread fellowship and pray. So after the Lord's Supper we sit down and have a meal together also at 2 o 'clock or 145 ish whatever I want to do after we eat.
We're gonna go over and look at that new building and we're hoping the Lord is gonna bless us with. I have the keys so if you want to come join us. As we look at this it's an actual church building right.
I'm gonna have to do anything to juice it up. So if you want to come and check out this building and that's why we're purple today. So you won't be so shocked when there's a lot of purple and lavender in there.
But we will be painting now if you will take your copy of the scriptures and turn with me to the Gospel of John chapter 12 we will consider verses 27 through 36. The outline will be on the back of your bulletin.
The Gospel of John chapter 12 verses 27 to 36. And this is our 75th message in this glorious gospel. Let me pray glorious God. Lord Father Son and Holy Spirit we gather together to worship you. And a part of our worship of you is to hear from you.
Well we gather to hear from you and the only thing in the way is me. So Lord I ask through the power of your Holy Spirit Lord that you will speak to this broken vessel to your people as well as myself that we may feast at the foot of Zion the feet of Christ and your new covenant kingdom and worship you this day through your word in Christ's name.
Amen. Let's begin with the text. John chapter 12 27 to 36. Jesus speaking now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say father save me from this hour. But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father glorify your name.
Then a voice came from heaven. I have glorified it and will glorify it again. The crowd that stood there heard it said that it had thundered. Others said an angel has spoken to him. Jesus answered this voice has come for your sake not mine.
Now is the judgment of this world. Now with a ruler of this world be cast out and I when I am lifted up from the earth will draw all people to myself. He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
So the crowd answered him. We have heard from the wall that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up. Who is this Son of Man. So Jesus said to them the light is among you for a little while longer walk.
While you have the light must darkness overtake you. The one who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light believe in the light that you may become sons of light. Our theme for this Lord's Day is the glory of God.
And my proposition is this. Jesus brings glory to God by doing what he was purposed to do. That's how we to bring glory to God by doing what we were purposed to do. Jesus brings glory to God by doing what he was purposed to do.
My dear friends are we. Are you walking. And the calling that God has purposed for you to do. Are you children of light. Are you sons and daughters of light. Are you even aware that God has a purpose for your life.
He's sovereign. In our outline today we're going to see the glory of God in five ways. And the purpose of Jesus in judging the world in judging Satan in drawing all people and in shining through his people.
But as we transition we have already saw that the Christ that these Jews and the scriptures want it was not the Christ that they got the Christ that they want it was not who they got. They wanted a someone a David figure a Judah Maccabee to comment and to rescue them from Rome.
They saw themselves as being under tyranny. They they looked at these prophecies and they took them to wood and to literal they thought that he was going to come and that he was going to rescue them from Rome.
And I did not understand that these prophecies were fulfilled in a now and not yet. But they were right then fulfilled but not fully fulfilled in the reality meaning that they are fulfilled spiritually.
They fell on the same sword that most Christians fall on today when it comes to prophecies they did not understand that the spiritual was in fact had more substance than the earthly fulfillment. Concerning some of these prophecies they were fulfilled.
They were in fact fulfilled the way that God and Trinity had purpose for them to be fulfilled and that is in Christ. And we looked at some of those passages last week where it had a prophecy and you saw the earthly fulfillment.
But then you saw and another way that it was going to be fulfilled. And you have to look at that in the way of the New Covenant and that it was not literally fulfilled but it is being literally fulfilled spiritually.
And we saw last week of how the the spiritual body is the real tangible substance right that these physical bodies that we're in now they're pointing to something greater especially us who are in Christ at the resurrection of the dead when we will come forth without the marred image of God but the full image of God which is Christ.
So point number one the glory of God and the purpose of Jesus Christ. It's taken from verses 27 through 28. But let's just begin with verse 27. Jesus speaking he says. Now my soul is troubled and what shall I say father save me from this hour.
But for this hour but for this purpose I have come to this hour now being under CRBC here you know that the purpose of Jesus right. It's the covenant of redemption. God the Father purpose to save a people.
God the Son would accomplish that purpose in time while God the Holy Spirit applies the purpose in eternity past God the Father chose to save a people in and through his son and his son would come into time and live the life that they could not live by keeping the law of God in their place as a substitute.
And then he would die in our place as a substitute taking the punishment that we deserve for breaking that law. And in that message of what God the Son did for us the Holy Spirit applies that purpose.
Remember the purpose to save a people in the new birth by making us sons and daughters of God. Jesus has come to that hour to fulfill that purpose. He has lived the life that we could not live and he is about to take upon himself the punishment that we deserve on that cross.
In our text Jesus says. But for this purpose I have come to the hour. Look at verses 23 and 24 and Jesus answered them. He's speaking to Philip and Andrew who have come to him. Who who are telling him that that Gentiles are coming and they're wanting to see Jesus there they're wanting to see him.
And he says the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified truly truly. I say to you unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies it remains alone. But if it dies it bears much fruit. That hour was for him to die and to be raised from the dead so that you and I who are in him when we die at his second coming we will be raised from the dead.
Him going into the earth and coming out is the first fruits of our going into the earth and coming out when he says to be glorified it's speaking of his resurrection when he is the first fruits of our resurrection.
This resurrection theme began in John chapter 11 and it's still continuing. This should show us how important it is for us to understand the resurrection of the dead. And it also should show us how full preterism is not of the Christian faith.
These people who walk around who claim the name of Christ but who say that the resurrection of the dead has already taken place that the second coming of Jesus Christ has already taken place and there is no more devil.
They're not a part as a matter of fact we will be like John and said well they went out from us for they were not of us. For if they would have been of us they would have be with us. Yet they went out to show that they were never of us.
That hour is speaking of his death burial resurrection and ascension. The message by which we are to be saved Romans chapter 1 verse 16 tells us that the gospel is God's power for salvation. Red says it quite often whenever we go out and we witness together we're one string banjo.
We got one message. We tell it in many different ways. Right. He's got his personality. I got whatever. This is right here. Right we go on the street. It's the same message is taken from different verses.
Or give me any verse I can give you the message. We're proclaiming the same message the life death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's what we go out and preach. That's the power of God. We have no power outside that message.
Imagine that the very power of God is on our lips. Yet some of us refused to share this message. It's like having the cure for disease and keeping it in your pocket while your loved one is dying. And in our text we see Jesus overcoming human emotion to fulfill his purpose.
Look at verse 27 again he says. Now my soul is troubled. What should I say father save me from this hour. Save me for what I'm about to go through. But for this purpose I have come to this hour. He has come to die and to be raised from the dead.
The ultimate glorifying moment in Scripture if I should be so bold to say is when Jesus Christ raises from the dead he defeats death. I mentioned last week something that Ray Comfort says. He says that the Old Testament tells us that God promises to destroy death.
And in the New Testament we see how he destroys death through the resurrection of the dead through what Christ has done. However in order to be raised from the dead you first have to die. This means that the God-man must die.
He came to be glorified. But in order to be glorified he must die. We ask ourselves well why is Jesus's soul troubled. The Greek word here for trouble is the same Greek word used in John chapter 5 where it says that the the waters were trouble at the waters were stir up.
There's something in Jesus that stirred up. And in our context it's probably best understood as an inward commotion. You ever get an argument with yourself. I usually win when I do like you have these mixed feelings taking place.
You think you're saying Jesus had mixed feelings. Read the text it says because I say this because at this moment Jesus seems uncertain. And that's what that word means. The Greek word for trouble. It means uncertain.
You said what Jesus was uncertain. Jesus came. Jesus has come and he felt rejection. He came for his own people and his own people did not receive him. He has come. He has felt the rejection of his people.
He is going to once and for all atone for sins something that these people have been doing as they've been in Judaism day after day week after week year after year they're bringing sacrifices to atone for their sins.
They have these things ingrained in them. They're brought up to memorize these things. Sacrifice after sacrifice lamb after lamb. Bulls birds bulls goats and birds life after life blood flowing from the temple.
And all these things were pointing to Jesus Christ. Everything every sacrifice. John sees Jesus and says behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He's saying that that that right there was a type and and now we have the anti type that that was a shadow.
And now we have the substance that these things were just pictures of what's going to take place. And what was going to take place is there before them. My dear friends Jesus feels the rejection. And some of these people who have rejected him and will reject him by crying out crucify him are about to have their sins atoned for.
And he's troubled. He's actually feeling it. He knows what it's like to be rejected. And we're seeing this in Scripture it says Jesus is troubled because we're unworthy. We're unworthy for Christ to die for us.
They were unworthy. We're unworthy for his grace and his mercy. If you're in Sunday school I was speaking about we're talking we're speaking on grace. And in order to understand grace you must understand mercy.
That that mercy is God not given to us what we deserve which is his wrath. And that mercy is God given to us what we don't deserve which is the forgiveness of our sins. We don't deserve these things. And right here I just think we see Jesus and he's and he's speaking about that.
He's like they don't deserve what I'm about to do for them. They don't deserve it. He's troubled. He's about to fill the full wrath of God for the elect of God. And although his soul was troubled he came for that purpose.
He was not going to not do it to die for sinners to die in the place of sinners. Sometimes I think we sever the humanity of Christ with the razor's edge of his divinity. We don't want to talk about his humanity because we're so caught up with his divinity.
My dear friends Jesus is truly God but he's also truly man. He hungered. He thirst when he walked all day. His feet hurt. Right. He had to use the restroom. When we don't think about these things concerning the Messiah but they're true.
He was truly man. And sometimes I just think we gloss over this and sever it on account of his divinity. The text speaks just as much about his humanity as it does his divinity. And we come to text like this.
We have to say what it says. He was troubled. He was uncertain. He's about to die for a people who are unworthy who have been rejecting him and will continue to reject him until they hear the gospel of God's power and God regenerates them.
You see God had speaking of Jesus. God had to be a man because men cannot excuse me. God had. God had to be a man to die because God cannot die. That's what James says. God cannot die. Jesus had to be the God man.
He had to be man because God cannot die. And yet he had to be God in order to keep the law and raised from the dead. Because a mere man can do neither one. He had to be God and man not. 50 God 50 man.
Truly God. Everything that God is. Jesus is in the flesh and also still today he's never ceased to be God. But he became flesh and he dwelled among us. The scripture tells us he who knew no sin is about to become sin by being nailed hands and feet to a Roman cross.
Deuteronomy chapter 21 22 through 23 tells us cursed is anyone who is hung on the tree. You've ever wondered how is it that my sins were applied to Jesus. It's because Jesus became a curse. He was hung on a tree.
Turn with me to Galatians chapter 3. Galatians chapter 3. Let's read verse 13 to see what Christ did on that tree. It says. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written cursed is anyone who is hung on a tree when he was hung on that tree.
That is how our sins are applied to him. Because he who knew no sin became sin by becoming a curse. The scripture in Deuteronomy says cursed of God. So on. The Isaiah tells us in 53 that it pleased the Lord to crush him.
He took our sins upon himself. That's what troubled him. That's what troubled him. That's why he was uncertain. But he was not going to let that emotion defeat the purpose by which he came. He came for the elect and he is leaving with the elect.
We need some Pentecostal up in here. Right then. Right. We need some yelling and screaming. We need some. No don't run around. Ring. Julie will leave. Okay. He came for the elect and he is leaving with the elect of God.
Past present in that scripture and future where we stand. And so on and so forth. It happened that day. Even though he was troubled he is about to face the wrath of God in our place as a substitute. And in verse 28 we see that the father is glorified in the purpose of his son.
Look back at that John chapter 12. Verse 28 he says. Father glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven. I have glorified and I will glorify it again. The father was glorified in sending his son and in his son's obedience.
And in the miraculous signs and wonders done by his son. All these things that Jesus did. The father was glorified. The father was glorified and his name was glorified. And the father will glorify his name again in the death burial resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.
Point number two. The glory of God and judging the world again. We're gonna look at verse 28 through 31. A let's begin with verse 28 and 29. Father glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven. I have glorified it and I will glorify it again.
The crowd that stood there and heard it said it had thunder. Others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus has called for God the father to glorify him meaning to raise him from the dead. He knows what's about to happen to glorify the name of Yahweh.
Yahweh is God's covenant name. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ you are his covenant people. This is the name that he has given to us to know him by Yahweh that is our God father son and Holy Spirit.
And what Jesus done with his life his death his burial resurrection and ascension. Us to glorify the name of Yahweh and to redeem for Yahweh a people who are chosen and precious. Yahweh being God's covenant name is which is what the scriptures tell us that it was in the blood of Jesus.
And my dear friends what greater way to glorify the name of Yahweh than to usher in the new covenant. The new covenant by which all who are in heaven are saved again. I spoke about this in Sunday school.
Though Abraham was in the old covenant he was saved through the new covenant. He was credited with a righteousness. You and I today are debited with that same righteousness. Abraham was looking forward to a seed that would come that would keep the covenant inherit the land and bless the nations.
We're looking back at the one who came and kept the covenant who inherited the land and who was blessing the nations. Oh what a great way to glorify your name. The father is saying I have glorified it and I will glorify it again.
And those that were at that feast heard something. Some said it had thunder while others said a angel had spoken to him. Some might have even heard the words but were uncertain by who was speaking the words.
One thing that we know for sure is that others did not even hear the words. I have glorified it and I will glorify it again. Remember last week I was talking about you can hear something but not listen.
I use my daughter as an example. Right. I could use my son as an example as well. So day-to-day like he just doesn't like to clean. Right. I'm gonna kids in here like that they don't like to like to clean like you.
Yeah yeah I know Sam don't. Right. Right. Like I tell Trinity Trinity clean your room like she heard the words. But if she doesn't clean a room she didn't listen. There's a difference between hearing and listening right.
Dalen hears the words clean your room. If he doesn't clean his room he didn't listen to the command. So there were people here that that did not hear those words. Or people here that might have heard them words but they didn't know who it was from.
They said it's an angel or something. And we're gonna see here later that people were not listening. They did not hear them because those who did not hear them could not hear them. Look back at John chapter 8.
John chapter 8. We'll look at verse 47. John 8 47 Jesus speaking to the religious leaders in this he's speaking about how they're not. You know they might be children of Abraham by descent but not the spiritual children of Abraham that their father is actually the devil.
And verse 47 he says whoever here I mean whoever is of God hears the words of God. For this reason you did not hear them. It's it is that you are not of God. So those who are there that heard it thunder they didn't hear it because they're not of God.
They're not of God. They did not hear the father speaking because they're not of God. Go back to our chapter and look at verse 30 it says Jesus answered. He says this voice has come for your sake not mine.
What came for their sake. Some could not hear others did not recognize the voice. You can have the scriptures and not recognize who it is. That's speaking to you. Oh plus us Lord your sake this is for your sake.
That they're gonna know for sure in that judgment that is we're going to see. That was a now but there's still a greater fulfillment of it. They're gonna know that that voice was for their sake. Simply put the father is speaking to them but they could not listen.
This is now the third time that the father has spoken in Jesus's three and a half year ministry. The first time was at the baptism of Jesus. In Matthew chapter 3 verse 17 the father said this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.
He has already lived the life that they could not live from childhood. Own up to his baptism where he begins his earthly ministry. He's lived the life that they could not live. And the second time we saw was on the the Mount of Transfiguration.
The father speaks to Peter James and John and says this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him. Listen to him. We see in the in the Torah that Moses prophesies a prophet coming from among them that he will be from among the brothers.
And that when he comes they are to listen to him. Not just hear him not just hear his words but to listen to him do what he says to do. And what he's told us to do is to follow him proclaiming himself to be the light that was in the wilderness.
John chapter 8 verse 12 we know that Peter James and John heard the father. And in Matthew chapter 3 at the baptism of Jesus the text seems to indicate that those who were there heard the father. And yet in our text the hearers could not hear the father.
Whether they heard thunder or whether they thought it was an angel they could not hear the father. The Jews have forsaken God by rejecting his one and only son. And now it's time for judgment. It's time for judgment.
Look at verse 31 a Jesus says now the judgment excuse me now is a dyslexia right. It just kicks in. Now is the judgment of this world. You say huh. That's future. Ladies and gentlemen we're not dispensationalist.
He said. Now is the judgment in the same way that we would see as that lamb as John said behold the Lamb of God who came and take away the sins of the world. That lamb year after year from the wilderness all the way up to that point was picturing something greater.
The judgment that's in our text that was then is pointing to something greater. The judgment began on that cross. He says now is the judgment of this world. Turn with me to Matthew chapter 3. You see in verse 2 speaking of John the Baptist he's preaching in the wilderness.
He calls them to repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. We get down here in verse 7 and you see they he sees the Pharisees and the Sadducees they come into the waters of Jordan. He calls them brood of vipers.
He says who warned you to flee from the wrath to come. And therefore do not think to save yourselves. Do not say that we have Abraham as our father. I tell you that God is able to raise up children from Abraham from stones.
And look at verse 10 he says even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees in every tree. Therefore that does not bear good fruit. It's cut down and thrown into the fire that it's thrown into judgment.
Verse 11. I baptize you with water into repentance. But he who is coming after me is mightier than I whose sandals I'm unworthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire judgment. Verse 12.
The whittling fork is in his hand and he will clear the threshing floor. And he will gather his wheat thank sheep into the barn but the chaff thank goats he will burn up with an unquenchable fire. Judgment.
Some are going to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Regeneration. Pauline gonna see a the new birth while others are going to be baptized with fire. With judgment. My dear friends that took place on that cross.
On that cross everyone who will ever be baptized in the Holy Spirit that judgment fell on Jesus. And everyone that will not be baptized in the Holy Spirit but will be baptized in fire. The rendering of that judgment will settle that day.
Look at Luke chapter 12. Luke chapter 12 beginning in verse 49. Luke chapter 12. Verse 49 Jesus speaking he says I came to cast fire on the earth. Judgment. That's that doesn't mean passion. Right. As some of our evangelical Christian brothers would think it's not talking about passion.
He says I came to bring fire on the earth. And would that it were all ready. Kendall. Look at verse 50. I have a baptism to be baptized with. He's already been baptized by this time by John the Baptist.
This baptism is not speaking of being put under water. This is not speaking of being emerged underwater as a matter of fact. When we're baptized what's. What does it point to the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
When he says I have a baptism to be baptized with he is speaking of his death burial and resurrection he says. And how great is my distress. You see the human side of Christ there again until it is accomplished.
Look at the next verse. I get my Bible to work. Right. He says. Do not think that I have come to give peace to the earth. No I tell you. But rather division on that cross. Christ died for the elect while simultaneously rendering judgment on the non elect.
The case was settled that day that hour that was coming. The judgment of those who who lived are living or who will ever live took place that day in an already and not yet reality. Point number three.
The judgment of Satan. Verse 31 B. He says. Now will the ruler of this world be cast out. Now what does it mean that the ruler of this world which is the devil was cast out. Because if it says he was cast out then that same judgment that's coming.
Speaking of his death does it mean that there is no devil. No. That's where the full preterists fall off the cliff. The book of Revelation tells you what it means. It means that he can no longer deceive the nation's meaning.
He cannot keep the gospel from saving the elect of God from among the nations. Look with me at Revelation chapter 20. Revelation chapter 20. We'll read verses 1 through 3. Revelation chapter 20. It's the very last book of the Bible.
Beginning in verse 1 we'll read a verse 3. John says. Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit a group in a great chain and seized the dragon the ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan and bound him for a thousand years and threw him into the pit and shut and sealed it over him right here so that he might not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were ended.
After that he must be released for a short time again. All this took place on that cross. Turn with me to Hebrews chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2 he starts mentioning that he did not send an angel into this world to subdue it.
The Greek word for subdue is to hypotasso it means to take control of. He did not send angels into the world to take control of the world but he sent his son. I like to tell people like this. I like to imagine if you will we take a round table and in that round table we cut a hoe the size of a bowling ball and then we take and glue chess pieces all the way around the table like you have this battle that's being waged between different opponents.
Right. And then you take that bowling ball and you put it over the hoe and you let it go. And all those chess pieces that are glued to that claw are going to go into that hoe following after the bowling ball.
I just to give you an image of what's taking place my dear friends on that cross that is where God struck the death blow on that cross. Make sure you know Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14 says this. Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood speaking of the Jews who came to his own people.
Right. He had he was born a Jew flesh and blood. He himself speaking of Jesus likewise partook in the same thing. Speaking of flesh and blood the word became flesh that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death that is the devil.
That's the fulfillment of Genesis chapter 3 verse 15 that the the seat of the woman will bruise the head of the serpent. It was on that cross. On that cross Jesus removes the power of death from the devil binds him and keeps him from deceiving the nation so that the gospel can go forth as it says in our text he was cast out.
Why. So that when we preach the gospel the power of God can be on display so that we can preach the gospel. My dear friends when we do not share the gospel with our neighbors we are taken from the glory of God and the judgment of Satan.
Point number four. God the glory of God and drawing all people. This is taken from verses 32 to verse 34. Another spy points I will get this done within the time. There's a lot of work we're gonna read verses 32 to 33.
To begin with I can get on the right page he says. And I when I am lifted up from the earth will draw all people to myself. And he's he said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. You see that it's all pointing to the cross again.
This judgment will accumulate in Jesus being lifted up meaning him dying on that cross. Jesus has often in this gospel mentioned that he is going to be lifted up. Go back to John chapter 3 verse 14 this is speaking of the story that we see in the wilderness where where the people were complaining about the manna they they were complaining that they wasn't neat and as good as they wanted to eat.
So God caused serpents to come down and bite them and they were dying. And then Moses cries out to God because the people came running to Moses and God tells Moses to put us a bronze serpent up on the pole and that for everyone who looks to this serpent they would be healed.
In verse 14 Jesus says as Moses lifted up. Remember that there's a bronze serpent on a pole as Moses was lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. So must the Son of Man be lifted up. Right here he's telling them that he is going to be lifted up on a cross.
Chapter 8 turned to chapter 8 with me. We'll look at verse 28. Chapter 8 28 says this. So Jesus said to them when you lift when you have lifted up the Son of Man then you will know that I am he. This is the tetragrammaton Yahweh and that I do nothing of my own authority but speak just as the Father has taught me.
As our text says concerning him being lifted up it is speaking of his crucifixion. It's telling us by what kind of death he is going to die. And that is how the crowd understood it. And we will see that in verse 34 as well as the fact that they've misunderstood the prophecy.
Look at verse 34 of our text John chapter 12. Verse 34. So the crowd answered him. We have heard from the law. So they're going back to the Torah. Right. They're going back to the the old covenant scriptures.
We have heard from the law heard what the Christ remains forever. See they're thinking literal. They're thinking wooden. They're not understanding that he that he's come to die and that he is with us even to the end of the age is what he tells his disciples in Matthew chapter 28.
He is with us. Revelation chapter 1 says that Jesus walks among the lampstands. And it says in verse 19 and 20 that the church is his lampstand. My dear friend Jesus is in this room now. And if you're a Christian you have the Spirit of Christ in you.
Now he is with us. They said we have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever. Think about it. In the Davidic Covenant they knew that the Christ was going to come from David that this this son of David would keep the law and what would he do.
Sit on the throne forever. But at the resurrection we saw that that's when Jesus said on the throne which is in heaven. And it says how can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up. They understood this as the cross.
This must have been a common saying at this time to be lifted up is speaking of being hung on the cross. Then they said who is this son of man. Like it's a different one from the one that they have heard of.
Who is this son of man. Remember. They see him coming. They scream son of man Hosanna save us. Right. That's what Hosanna means. It's the Hebrew word for save us save us from the tyranny that we are in there won't physical salvation earthly tangible.
They're not thinking of heavenly salvation because they don't see themselves as sinners who have violated God's law. They're thinking earthly. They're not thinking spiritual. They're thinking what the earthly things.
They're not. They're looking at the earthly things and not what the earthly things are pointing to. Oh my dear friends so many Christians get this confused today. However in verse 32 it tells us that Jesus is to be lifted up from the earth speaking of his crucifixion.
And when that happens he will draw all people to himself. Look back at verse 32. And I when I am lifted up from the earth will draw all people to myself. Not all as in every person but all as in all the elect.
All that the father purpose to save covenant of redemption. Look at John chapter 6. Verse 37. John 6 37. Jesus speaking he says all that the father gives me will come to me. And whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
So in order to come to Jesus we come to him through this gospel message. Someone has to preach the message. Right. So while we have evangelism someone has to preach his message. So all those who you cannot come to him unless you have been given to him by the father which is the beginning of that covenant of redemption.
The father purposing to save a people. This is what's known as election. Look back at look at verse that verse that I just read with our verse. So let me read that again. All that the father gives me will come to me.
And whoever comes to me I will not cast out. Go back to verse 32. And when I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to my self. And that is done through the preaching of the gospel. What's the preaching of the gospel about all the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Remember God the father had purpose to save a people. He does this through his sons the person and work of his son when it is preached. Point number five. The glory of God shining through his people. Our calling.
Our purpose in this life is to radiate the light of God. Remember in the very beginning I said you know your purpose. Do you know what God has called you to do. It is to radiate the light of God in the same way that the light that the Sun gives light to the moon.
And we're able to see the Sun's light it through the moon. Your purpose in this life as a Christian is to radiate God's light. It's to be sons and daughters of light. Look at verses 35 and 36. So Jesus said to them the light is among you for a little while longer walk while you still have the light lest darkness overtake you.
The one who walks in darkness does not know where he is going while you have the light believe in the light that you may become sons of light. Now as we've already walked through this we kind of seen this language several times.
Right. In this gospel the light among them is speaking about the three and a half years of Jesus's ministry and the darkness that could overtake him is speaking about that period of time that three days in which Jesus was in the tomb when Jesus was what Jesus was doing was he was calling them to repent.
He was calling them to follow him. Before that hour came that hour of darkness because that darkness could overtake them. Imagine imagine the darkness of those three days. Right when the Son of God was in the tomb and and in darkness thought it one imagine that darkness.
And then Jesus comes forth. Right. Like I said earlier like that's the most glorifying moment in Scripture. We see that death was defeated what the Old Testament promise was going to happen. We see the then of that promise.
We see it taking place to us now because we were born dead in our trespasses and sins in which we were regenerated Paul ain't gonna see it. When the new birth came to us we were born again made new in Christ.
And when we die Christians we pass out of judgment into life. And Jesus says those who believe me even though they die yet shall they live. But then there's an ultimate fulfillment when Christ comes back and were raised from that grave Jesus was saying give glory to God by following him and become sons and daughters of light but instead of great majority will cry out crucify him during his judgment.
This morning I was trying to remember I'm like in my podcast I think I said a Semitism but it was really Tom and Jerry. Right. There's this episode where we're y 'all kids. I don't know about Tom and Jerry.
You're messing out. Right. So there's this episode where Tom is chasing Jerry and he has a has a shotgun. Right. And yeah right and there's this there's this hole in the tree that Jerry the mouse runs into.
But there's another hole right above in that tree. And so as Tommy shoves this double-barrel shotgun into the hole it comes back out and it points right on his butt. Right. And so and as he pulls the trigger thinking that he's about to shoot Jerry Tom shoots himself in the butt.
That's what happens here. They think they're judging Jesus and that the cruelty judges them. Those who are his he took their place in judgment. And those who are not his their judgment was rendered. The judgment was rendered.
And although Jesus was speaking to them these things still apply today. God still receives glory in the purpose of Jesus Christ. His penal substitutionary atonement penal meaning he took the penalty of sin.
A substitutionary was is in our place. And the atonement means it is atoned for we are at one meant with God because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. And in that final judgment that's coming against those who are not in Jesus God will receive glory from the scream and smoke of their torment.
Satan as we speak is still on a chain unable to deceive the nations. While we preach Christ Jesus crucified and in glory God will draw all the elect to himself. And because of what Christ has done you can become children of God.
You can become sons and daughters of light. My dear friends if you're not a Christian look back at verse 36. He says. While you have the light believe in the lights that you may become sons of lights.
My way of application this verse for us is speaking that none of his earthly ministry but the first and second advent this time period this thousand years that the text would say but is. But we will look at it as the the first advent to the second advent of Christ.
Right. Darkness is going to come again when Satan is released. There's gonna be a short time period where he's able to deceive the nations. But right now as we stand we know this is true. Right like we have we have people over here in our congregation now from our street ministry Joe.
Joe is a Christian now Joe through Joe coming and his family coming. We have Robert who I was able to witness to Robert. Robert as a Christian now Satan cannot deceive he cannot deceive the nations. Right now we still have a moment of light that we're to walk in.
And for those who are not a Christian who believe in this light and follow Jesus can become children of light. We can become children sons and daughters of light by believing in Jesus Christ by following after Jesus as it stands we're still in this time period of the first and second advent we were available to anyone who wants to talk join me in prayer father son and Holy Spirit Yahweh we thank you for your word.
We thank you that you left no stone unturned that you have revealed these things to us Lord. And well we just ask that we will be faithful stewards of what you've revealed to us and to live in light of what Christ has done for us live knowing that we are forgiven that although we live in this saint and center reality Lord that we can walk and we can radiate your light to those who we come in contact with Lord please give us strength in our weakness Lord I pray that through this word today that those who are here who heard it or those who will hear in the future by way of video Lord that you will use this word to grow them in holiness conforming them to the image of Jesus Christ.
And Lord now as we are about to partake in this supper but we ask that you use this as well to grow us to the image of Jesus Christ. Or ask if there's been those in here who are stubborn and rebellion this week and who are unwilling to repent and turn from their sins that you will prevent them from the table.
Well Lord I know there's people in here like me who have sinned who have fallen short of your glory who may not have opened their mouth when they should have or may have said something they shouldn't have.
But they've looked to you in faith and confessed their sins knowing that you are faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. Well I pray that as they come that you use this meal to grow them in holiness we pray this in Christ's name.
Amen.