The Theology of Unbelief | Sermon 10/22/2023

Please turn with me in your Bibles to John chapter 12.

This is our last sermon in John chapter 12.

We're going to be in verses 37 through 50 today.

And the title of this sermon today churches the theology of unbelief the

theology of unbelief.

So starting in verse 37 of the gospel according to John chapter 12 Hear now

the words of the Lord.

But though he had performed so many signs before them Yet they were not believing in

him.

This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke Lord who has believed our

report and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

For this reason they could not believe nor Isaiah.

For Isaiah said again, excuse me.

He has blinded their eyes.

And he hardened their heart.

So that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart and be converted and I heal them.

These things Isaiah said because he saw his glory and he spoke of him

nevertheless.

Many even of the rulers believed in him but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing him for

fear that what they would be put out of the synagogue for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of

God.

And Jesus cried out and said he who believes in me does not believe in me.

But in him who sent me he who sees me sees the one who sent me.

I Have come as light into the world so that everyone who believes in me will not remain in darkness.

If anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them I do not judge him for I did not

come To judge the world but to save the world.

He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has one who judges him.

The word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.

For I did not speak on my own initiative.

But the father himself who sent me has given me a commandment as what to say and what to

speak.

I know that his commandment is eternal life.

Therefore the things I speak I speak just as the father has told me.

Thus ending the reading of God's holy and meant magnificent word.

Let's pray as a church body.

God these are your words.

This is the truth that you've handed down to mankind.

God I ask that you would illuminate the scriptures for your people today.

God these are hard truths.

These are difficult things to understand and to accept.

But God I find them so crucial to understanding who you are.

And what your redemption has come to accomplish.

The sure salvation of a people for your own name.

And so God I pray that you would Prepare the hearts of your people to receive the message

today.

Or that they would see you for who you are in your message for what it is.

And God that I would get out of the way.

This wouldn't be a message of man or tradition.

But a message simply from your word.

God, please help me to speak with clarity and with truth.

I pray this in Jesus name.

Amen.

Well Unbelief can make people do foolish things.

Unbelief can cause someone to not be able to see.

What's right in front of them.

In Genesis chapter 6?

It says then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth and

That every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil.

Continually.

It says that God grieved that he made man.

But there was one man Who he made a preacher?

Noah and for 120 years from the moment of God's declaration of judgment

Noah warned the people.

However, no one paid heed.

They spurned his cautions.

And they kept on living in sin.

In Peter's first letter. He said the patience of God kept waiting during the construction of the ark.

But no one turned not a single person.

They stayed in their unbelief.

The world we know drowned every single one of them except for these eight people along with Noah.

Think about think about Egypt as well.

Pharaoh and the Egyptians saw the wonders of God.

They they saw ten plagues.

They knew the Lord had great power and yet they would not relent.

Each warning became one more word stacked upon Pharaoh's just

condemnation.

Unbelief and hatred of God blinded him from turning

and This is nothing new for even the people of God in Israel's history from

the time of judges to the prophets the people were Continually and continually

Warned and despite seeing the wonders of God the miracles of God power and provision

of God.

They would turn to idols.

They would they would turn to things made of stone and wood.

Things that were powerless to aid them.

They would not heed the caution of God's messengers.

Therefore exile and captivity came upon them.

And those who returned to Jerusalem after 70 years of That judgment they came back and they

rebuilt the temple and they rebuilt the city and they swore.

They would never go against the Living God again.

They would stay faithful but

Unbelief is not just a sickness that comes and passes.

It's a it's a plague.

It's a contagion.

It's really the nature of mankind unbelief and The New Covenant

promised a Messiah and the spirit that would change the hearts of people.

Hearts that are continually bent on unbelief and that in receiving the Spirit

Obedience and faithfulness of the people would finally stick.

It would finally last faithfulness.

Lasting belief was the promise you see.

We're not looking at 4 ,000 years before Christ where there was so much belief and so much

unbelief and they were clashing.

No, the Bible demonstrates great unbelief marked to that of humanity

from the beginning until the time of Christ.

Jesus came because of unbelief.

He came because belief was constantly waning however,

as we have found.

Even Israel wasn't ready for her day of visitation.

We're gonna see that in our passage today.

Let's think about where we come from in chapter 12 this all started back with Jesus's arrival into the city of

Zion into Jerusalem right before his death.

The famous triumphal entry took place the king came in.

We talked about that.

It's possible that a million or more people could have been in attendance and many of them

Received Jesus with shouts of what Hosanna Hosanna?

We discuss that that means Oh Lord save us.

Oh Lord, we pray save us.

They called Jesus their king.

The Apostles were probably like this is finally working out right things are going good now.

After things settled down a bit Greeks came looking for Jesus, which was the trigger

pulled to indicate that his hour had come.

Judgment has come to the world.

He said the ruler of the world is to be cast out.

Things are progressing.

There's no getting off the ride now.

And though Jesus was greatly troubled in his spirit He prayed to the father father

glorify yourself and the father spoke audibly from heaven.

It sounded like thunder to everyone else and he said I have glorified it and I will glorify it again.

The people Questioned Jesus's statements on being lifted up.

What do you mean?

The Son of Man is going to be lifted up exalted and he finished.

By exhorting them to believe in him now right now.

Turn to the light walk in the light before he leaves and darkness comes.

Becomes sons and daughters of light.

That's how we ended last week so John Tells us however the

spiritual assessment of the ones who greeted Jesus at his triumphal entry.

People who had by now seen many great things many incredible things that Jesus had done.

This is their spiritual assessment.

They even saw Lazarus walking around who was once dead.

John reports in verse 37, but though he had performed so many signs

before them.

Yet they were not believing in him.

Three years of signs and miracles and authority and

Teachings from God they were not believing.

Now we've seen shallow faith based on signs, but this unbelief is

something far more dangerous.

Inferior belief based on signs was shown in chapter 2.

After the temple cleansing if you remember John said now when Jesus was in Jerusalem

at the Passover during the feast.

Many believed in his name.

Observing his signs which he was doing but Jesus on his part was not Entrusting himself

to them for he knew all men and because he did not need anyone to testify concerning man.

For he himself knew what was in man.

We talked about that that word in the Greek.

Entrusting himself to them means that Jesus did not believe their belief.

Jesus did not believe their belief.

He knew all men he knews he knows the reality of the soul of man.

It's not prone to believe and so many believed on the basis of signs and

wonders, but not on the basis of the actual Messiah.

Signed belief is shallow.

It's shallow.

You know you ever met people like that.

They have more belief in the miracles.

They've said they've seen in their life than in actual the miracle actual miracle maker.

So you got to see all the things that have happened to me, and they don't point you back to God.

They point you to the miracle.

One's belief must be in the sign maker not the sign.

Then in John 4 Jesus came to Cana of Galilee and the royal officials a son was sick and with a

single word.

From cities away miles away Jesus healed his son.

He said your son lives in the royal official believed Jesus on the basis of his word.

Which was different?

Than the Galileans in the north who gave Jesus this really lame welcome.

Not as the Messiah, but as some sort of miracle worker you have come fix our affirmaties.

Be what we need and then we don't we don't need you we'll send you away.

He said at that moment a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown

in John 6 the Lord Jesus was on the other side of the Sea of Galilee.

And it says that a large crowd followed him because they saw the signs which he was

performing on those who were sick and He revealed that the people followed simply because of

his signs and the bread and the fish.

That he multiplied to the 5 ,000.

He said you're just coming for food.

They didn't actually want the bread of life.

They want the bread of heaven.

He said in that moment.

I am the bread of life.

Eat my flesh and drink my blood is what he said and that confused a lot of people.

He is the true bread from heaven and every single person at that moment every single person that said they were a

disciple every single person that believed.

Every single person that followed him through the desert left him at that moment except for the 12 Apostles

every single one of them except for the 12.

This has been the hallmark of the earthly ministry of the Christ

and as I said my introduction this is nothing new after God rescued his

people from slavery in Egypt and parted the Red Sea and They walked on dry

ground and after splitting the rock open for water and raining bread from heaven.

They quickly grumbled and they lacked faith.

In fact, listen to this.

Deuteronomy 29 2 through 4 says.

And Moses summoned all Israel.

Summoned them all together and said to them.

You've seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and all his

servants and all the land.

The great trials.

Your eyes have seen those great signs and wonders your eyes have seen he says

yet to this day.

The Lord has not given you a heart to know nor eyes to see nor ears

to hear.

To this day.

Even though you've seen all this.

The Lord he said the Lord has not given you a heart to know nor eyes to see nor

ears to hear.

Moses resolved that the Lord had simply not given the people a heart to believe

and it's astounding.

One could see the miracles of God.

But still not believe in the God who performed it and I imagine that that sort of thing happens all the time today.

I imagine that even doctors and surgeons in emergency rooms and hospitals Probably see

God perform miracles often and yet they write it off like it's scientific or there's got to be

some sort of Explanation and they don't get it and they continue to not believe.

It's absurdity.

They see it often.

Miracles and signs are kind of like shadows in a sense see my shadow back

here.

You can see a shadow, right?

You can see the shape and outline of the one who?

Who's the shadow belongs to but in the end a shadow can shift with the lights.

It can change you can't grab a shadow.

We need the substance.

We need the real thing.

We need to have faith in Jesus and not just in the miracles he performed

but this is the wild aspect about belief and unbelief

these people Could see as I said Jesus fulfill prophecy heal people

raise a man from the grave speak with authority.

Teach it in a way that no man has ever taught even speak to heaven and receive an audible answer.

But still not believe but still not believe.

You know, I've heard people say look people are generally good.

If they just saw what heaven was like if they just saw what God could do for them.

They would turn and this is showing otherwise.

The people for multiple millennia have seen God do great things and yet they turn from him.

Unbelief is insanity.

It's insanity.

It sees truth and yet wants falsehood.

This to me demonstrates the irresistibility of grace when the Spirit regenerates.

When the Spirit of God comes and saves a person and pours out his spirit into someone it's irresistible.

They come to him.

There's there's no other way around it.

All who are given to the Son by the Father come to him and he will draw all of them to himself

and he will cast none of them out right.

This also demonstrates the irresistibility of sin.

That even when faced with life even faced with the promises of eternal life even seeing a man

come out of a grave.

Alive, you could go now.

I don't.

I don't really believe it.

And the only way to make sense of it all I Believe the Bible shows is God's sovereignty and

election over salvation and that's exactly what John's going to argue in these next verses.

He says that this the unbelief of men and women despite many signs performed by the Messiah

fulfills prophecy.

It fulfills prophecy verse 38.

This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke Lord who has believed

our report and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

Now if you don't know that quote comes from the infamous passage in Isaiah 53.

What's Isaiah 53 about suffering servant about Christ.

And so at the end of Isaiah 52 it's also talking about this servant of God that he's going to be high and

lifted up and What did Jesus just say in our last verses

in the previous week?

He said he's going to be lifted up and Then it goes on in

Isaiah 53 that the people reject him this servant of the Lord and then he's crucified.

Honestly John sinks these things in Isaiah 52 and 53

perfectly with his gospel.

The question of who has believed our report.

Who has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

This is right in line with what happened with Jesus the Servant high and lifted up the

promise the question of belief or unbelief and then crucifixion.

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed.

Now, what is the arm of the Lord?

What does that mean?

In other parts of the Bible the arm of the Lord is his power and works and wonders.

But what's interesting is after Isaiah chapter 40 for the rest of Isaiah the arm of the Lord is

personified.

The arm of the Lord becomes then synonymous with the servant of God the

suffering servant.

And who is the servant again?

He is Jesus Christ.

And so the arm of the Lord was to bring about a restoration for the people that they could not initiate themselves.

Isaiah chapter 40 verse 10 you can look in your printout or look in your Bible.

Look at this Isaiah 40 verse 10 behold.

The Lord God will come with might.

Look at this with his arm ruling for him.

His arms gonna rule for him.

Behold his reward is with him and his recompense before him like a shepherd.

He will tend his flock in his arm.

He will gather the lambs.

Who's going to gather the lambs.

Jesus Christ.

But the arm is gathering the lambs here carrying them in his bosom.

He will gently leave the nursing ewe's.

Then look Isaiah 51 verse 5 in your printout.

My righteousness is near.

My salvation has gone forth and my arm will judge the people's.

What did the father say.

The father said he's given the the role of judgment to the son in John chapter 5.

My arm will judge the people's.

The coastlands will wait for me and for my arm.

They will wait expectantly.

And so the arm of the Lord came.

He showed the power of the Lord through his signs and wonders and Jesus gave the report of the Lord.

He gave the good news of the kingdom.

But he says who has believed our report and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed.

I want to argue that though they received the message from the arm and the people saw the

arm of the Lord and They saw that all the wonders and works that the arm performed.

He wasn't truly revealed to them.

That's the question to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

Because why don't they believe our report.

Those who believe receive something they did not have prior.

These are the ones who don't simply see signs.

Because John's whole point has been that unbelief mixed with signs produces shallow

plant dying -in -the -sun sort of faith.

Those who believe are the ones who can see the power not just as plain power.

But as the arm of the Lord the Messiah the Christ.

Paul quotes from this exact passage this exact question is Covered in Romans chapter

10 and honestly if you want to learn more about the topic of unbelief I encourage you to read Romans

9 through 11.

Also Romans 1 through 3 covers a lot of unbelief and sin.

But Romans 9 through 11 covers largely the unbelief of Israel.

Why did they reject their Messiah when he came.

Romans 9 through 11 check it out later and Paul agrees That not all who receive the good

news believe.

And then he quotes from Isaiah 65 when the Lord says I Was found by those who did not seek me.

I became manifest to those who did not ask for me.

The ones who we would have expected were waiting for the Messiah.

That is the Jews here in Jerusalem at the triumphal entry the ones who were seeking him did not find him.

He wasn't made manifest to them as it says.

And John continues to explain why he says in verse 39.

For this reason they could not believe.

They could not believe.

And they couldn't believe not because they didn't want to.

They couldn't believe not because they understood the truth, but simply rejected it.

John shows us it is again a fulfillment of prophecy from Isaiah the divine activity of

God and a person's faith.

Or lack thereof are directly correlated.

That's the theology of unbelief is That apart from the intervention

of a of a righteous and merciful God we would stay in unbelief.

That's the point that's going to be made throughout this whole section and John doesn't see a

problem with that.

God is sovereign and men are responsible.

They're culpable.

In fact, God's sovereignty is never in opposition to men's responsibility in the scripture not

once.

Only we especially as Westerners have a problem with that in the Bible.

Continues continues to show that God is the one who is sovereign and in control over Even

belief in faith and yet none of the writers take issue with that.

None of the Old and New Testament writers Find a problem not one bit.

The regeneration the born -again status Jesus spoke about in John 3 to Nicodemus.

Which is the promise of the new covenant as mentioned in Old Testament prophecy is the thing the majority of Jews

refused.

Not only did they in their own will refuse it.

But it was refused to be given to them by God.

That's what it says.

For this reason they could not believe as Isaiah said again now look verse 40.

He is blinded their eyes and he hardened their hearts so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their

heart and be converted and I Heal them.

This is hard stuff.

This is heavy stuff.

Like I said, I only want to give you what the word says this comes this section in particular comes from

Isaiah 6 and The Apostle John under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit gives

us insight on something magnificent here.

Let me let me go into something real quick before we continue on in unbelief

verse 41 of chapter 12 and John says these things.

Isaiah said because he saw his glory and He spoke of him.

His glory.

Isaiah saw his glory.

Isaiah spoke of him.

Who is that?

Who is the him?

Who is the his?

Who did Isaiah see?

Well in John chapter 12 thus far.

Every time a pronoun of Jesus has been stated like in verse 37.

It said He has performed many signs that he in the Greek

is in the third -person Genitive singular masculine pronoun and so are these

these pronouns in verse 41 they are identical and

You're like, what does that mean?

What does that mean that the pronoun in verse 37?

That was about Jesus and then it's used exactly the same way in verse 41 here.

What does that mean pastor Wade go to Isaiah chapter 6?

This is how we're gonna know.

It's either in your printout or go in your Bible.

Isaiah chapter 6.

Let's read verses 1 through 7 first.

It says in the year of King Uzziah's death.

I saw the Lord sitting on a throne.

Lofty and exalted with the train of his robe filling the temple.

Seraphim stood above him each having six wings.

With two he covered his face and with two he covered his feet and with two he flew.

And one called out to another and said holy.

Holy holy is the Lord of hosts.

The whole earth is full of his glory and the foundations of the thresholds.

Trembled at the voice of him who called out.

While the temple was filling with smoke.

Then I said, woe is me for I am ruined.

Because I'm a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips for my eyes have seen

the king.

My eyes have seen the king the Lord of hosts.

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand which he had taken from the altar with tongs.

He touched my mouth with it and said behold.

This has touched your lips and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.

And so here we have a vision of Isaiah and he sees the Lord.

He sees this amazing vision this this majesty this glory this holiness

this shining God on this throne and he Says my eyes

have seen the king.

He's ruined by it he recognizes the holiness of the one on the

throne and What's interesting is in the Hebrew.

This word that says Lord is specifically Adonai.

Which is another name for God?

Adonai is on a throne.

He's he's lofty and exalted with the train of the road his rope filling the temple.

Seraphim angels are around the one on the throne.

This is an amazing sight.

They continue to call out the praise of the one on the throne.

Holy.

Holy.

Holy is the Lord of hosts that is Yahweh of hosts recognizing

his holiness.

And he says I've King.

I've seen King Yahweh.

I've seen the king.

I've seen the Lord and so the Bible.

Why is this significant the Bible from front to back cover to cover?

Says in multiple scriptural verses that no one has ever seen the father that he is spirit.

No one's ever seen God.

Only the son the son says he's seen the father, but no one else.

As John one said and so who is this on the throne lofty and exalted?

Who is the one that Isaiah spoke of and saw his glory?

Who is the one whose robe is filling the heavenly temple the one who's receiving worship from angels.

This?

According to John with those pronouns is The pre -incarnate Jesus

Christ.

This is Jesus in Isaiah chapter 6.

This is the Son of God in all his holiness and all his glory before he came to earth.

This is the power and grandeur and majesty the Son of God possessed prior to humbling

himself and taking on flesh.

You remember in John chapter 8 Jesus said Abraham got to see

my day, and he was glad and here we even see that Isaiah got to see Jesus

and he was glad and You think about that?

This one on the throne this pre -incarnate Christ.

A Coal is put on his lips, and he says your your your lips are clean.

Your iniquity is forgiven and your sins are no more.

That is a foretaste of what Jesus would do when he came off.

That throne that's what's amazing Jesus what Jesus would come off that throne to

give that cleansing for many people

so if we wanted to

Honestly there could be a whole there could be a whole nother sermon about this section in Isaiah 6 and John 12.

But I want us to stay in the in the vein of our passage today,

it's on unbelief and.

So of course you know by the way this even speaks to the deity of Christ if anyone says Jesus

is not God well John says here that Jesus is Yahweh of hosts.

He is the Lord of hosts.

He gives the only name that belongs to the one true God to Jesus his eyes have seen the King.

So by the way if anyone Ever says Jesus isn't God go to John 12 and point them back to Isaiah

6 but aside from that This is

about the unbelief of the people who have witnessed the miracles of the Messiah, so now let's read Isaiah 6

8 through 10 go to the next verse.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying whom shall I send and who will go for us?

Jesus says that.

Then I then I said here.

I am send me.

He said go and tell this people keep on listening, but did but do not perceive keep on looking.

But do not understand render the hearts of the people and sensitive their ears dull and their

eyes dim.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes.

Hear with their ears understand with their hearts and be in return and be healed.

The prophet Isaiah did indeed go to the people with this message.

He went to the people with this message but in an ultimate sense and what's amazing is

Jesus told Isaiah to speak this to the people and 700 years later after

speaking this in the heavenly vision Jesus went would then fulfill this right now in John

and look how John changed the tenses.

It's past tense now in John chapter 12 as if it's happened or it's happening.

John 12 verse 40 He has blinded their eyes.

He has Hardened their heart so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart

and be converted and I heal them.

Israel didn't learn after the Assyrian exile in the Babylonian captivity.

The Jews are once again following God's after their own making

this time themselves.

They trust in their works.

They trust in men.

They trust in Rome and they reject the Messiah.

I Mean it really is astounding.

Jesus said these words 700 years prior to Isaiah in a vision and now

they are ultimately Fulfilled and carried out in his own person.

And so this is judgment language.

God has blinded the eyes of the people witnessing Jesus's signs.

While they may see the miracles physically they don't really see with their eyes.

God has hardened their hearts.

In The Hebrew it says that their hearts become have become insensitive.

That means that their hearts have become fat which means heavy and essentially unresponsive.

And this isn't happening because they were righteous or faithful and wanted the Messiah.

This already they already did not truly seek God and God is judging them for their unbelief.

They possessed that unbelief Previously even prior to this moment and so God is giving them

sustained unbelief.

He's letting them over.

Carson says God's judicial hardening is not presented as the capricious manipulation

of an arbitrary ruler.

That's cursing morally morally neutral or even morally pure beings.

But as a holy condemnation of a guilty people who are condemned to do and be what they

themselves have chosen this is what they've chosen and If we have

temptation to say that God is unjust.

Then we need look no further than the coming of his Son.

The mere fact that Jesus is on earth means that God is gracious.

Even though he is just.

Paul speaks to this unbelief of the Jews like I said in Romans chapter 9.

You can go there in your printout or in your Bible.

Romans 9 Starting in verse 14.

What shall we say then?

There is no injustice with God is there.

May it never be.

For he says to Moses I will have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.

So then it does not depend on the man.

It does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs but on God.

It's on God who has Mercy for the scripture says to Pharaoh for this very

reason I raised you up to demonstrate my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed throughout

the whole earth.

So Paul continues so then God has mercy on whom he desires and he hardens whom

he desires.

You will say to me then.

Why does God still find fault?

For who can resist this will of his on the contrary?

Who are you?

Oh man who answers back to God the thing molded will not say to the molder.

Why did you make me like this.

Will it or does not the potter have a right over the clay to make from the same?

Lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use.

You see we continue to elevate ourselves to the potter.

We continue to elevate ourselves to the molder.

But we're simply that which is molded.

We're simply that which is clay and he has all the rights and he's the one who wills

and it continues look.

What if God?

Although willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make his power known endured with much patience

vessels of wrath prepared for destruction and He did so to make known

the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy.

Which he prepared beforehand for glory even us whom he also called not from among Jews

only but from among the Gentiles.

What if God?

Was willing to make his power known this is about God's glory and He

has the right to make it about his glory and he's prepared vessels of wrath

ready for destruction beforehand.

He's willed it.

Say give me all the answers waited.

I don't know all the answers.

I'm telling you what scripture says this is what it says He and he did so.

That we would look at his vessels of mercy and you know what?

I think all the time we're kind of looking at these verses and we're looking at these.

God hardened their hearts and God did this and and God judged them and We're looking at it as if they don't deserve it

as if we don't deserve that we do deserve that we're supposed to look at the fact that he even

prepared vessels of mercy for his glory and look at that and Be in

awe and be in wonder.

Oh god.

It's not fair that you would give this to me.

Oh god.

It's not fair that you would actually save anyone.

We all should be vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, but you saved us you poured out your grace on us.

And that's what Paul says so that we would see this and all the time.

We're focusing on the fact that there are those who are prepared for destruction.

But he said look at the fact and marvel that any were prepared for glory that any were prepared for

mercy.

That's the wonder.

That's what should cause us to honestly fall to our knees and thankfulness and gratitude.

This shows that there is no fault in God.

There's no fault in God.

Paul says.

That's who finds fault.

No one he says no one.

Now besides John quoting this Isaiah 6 passage Jesus also says this portion from

Isaiah 6 in Matthew 13.

He says this exact thing after speaking of the parable of the soils.

Where the word of the good news is either snatched away or falls on rocky soil or looks promising.

But then quickly dies or or this word falls among thorns and gets choked by the cares of the world or it

falls on good Soil and bears fruit.

That's Matthew 13.

It says and then the disciples came and said to him.

Why do you speak to the people in parables?

And Jesus answered them to you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the

kingdom of heaven.

But to them it has not been granted and.

Then he quotes from this Isaiah Passage and says that the people will not see and they will

not hear and they will not understand.

He won't grant them Understanding and faith and belief the Bible makes it clear.

These are granted.

They are given to you.

It's been granted to you.

It's been given not to them.

Paul also quotes from this Isaiah 6 passage in Acts 28 it says in Acts 28 that

he's been giving out the Gospel of the kingdom to people during his imprisonment and it says that some

were persuaded by the things spoken.

But others would not believe.

Unbelief is the prevailing theme in the Commission that was given to Isaiah 700

years prior by the Incarnate Christ.

Every time this passage is quoted Seeing but not seeing.

Hearing but not hearing.

It's all about unbelief.

Look what John says among the Jewish rulers.

Are there any who believe in him?

Verses 42 and 43.

Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in him.

But because of the Pharisees they were not confessing him for fear that they would be put out of the

synagogue.

For they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.

Jesus talks about this a lot.

The cost of discipleship the cost to follow him.

What you can lose in this world when you gain Eternal life.

For some it's very difficult to give up What they have in the in the life of this world.

These men don't want to be kicked out of the synagogue.

They don't want to lose their status.

They don't want to lose their influence.

They love the approval of men rather than the approval of God and the word here in the Greek.

For approval is actually doxa, you know where we get the word doxology, which means glory

glory.

They love the glory of men over the glory of God and John said that on

purpose.

Why.

Because he said Isaiah saw his glory.

So when he's saying this He's saying that They literally

choose the glory of man than the glory of the Son of Man.

They want the glory of man rather than Jesus Christ.

And so they will not see his kingdom.

The people love the glory of humans rather than the glory of God or Christ.

They do not love the Messiah that was sent to them.

And if only they could see themselves compared to the glory and holiness of Christ.

Like Isaiah did when he saw Jesus on the throne.

Maybe then if they saw his holiness They might turn I don't know.

It's up to God this Fear of

man this approval of man lays a snare as Proverbs 29 says it is literally the noose around their neck.

Jesus says if you don't confess me before men, I will not confess you be before my father who is in

heaven.

Where the previous verses spoke of the divine actions of God causing unbelief here We see the

actions of men causing their own unbelief you see.

Men can continue to cause their own unbelief.

But they cannot on their own cause their belief.

God must intervene now.

I like to think that these Jewish leaders who in some capacity

believed in some way in the future that they have the Holy Spirit poured out on them after Pentecost and

They eventually confess Christ and forsook the glory of men and truly believe that's

my hope.

And we come to the final climactic scene of Jesus in his public ministry.

Jesus cries out he shouts to all the people verses 44 and 45

he who believes in me does not believe in me, but in him who sent me.

He who sees me sees the one who sent me.

This cry of Jesus is one of mercy and grace.

He continues to call them to faith and repentance even though they don't believe.

And these statements summarize all that Jesus has ever done in his earthly ministry, it's all about his

oneness with and obedience to the Father.

This is still right in line with Isaiah 6 the throne his glory his oneness with the Father.

There's only one God and yet he is also Yahweh.

Jesus Coordinates himself with the Father.

Those who believe in the Son are ultimately Believing in the Father and when you see the Son

you've seen the Father not that Jesus is some sort of copy of the Father

or that the Father has some sort of physical nature.

But it's just like what he says in John chapter 1 verse 18.

No one has seen God at any time the only monogamous.

They asked the only begotten Unique Son of God who's in the bosom of the Father.

He has explained him he is the greatest physical manifestation of

God on earth and Every religion that says that they follow

God.

They don't if they don't believe in Jesus Christ.

And that's the reality.

If you don't believe in the Son, you don't believe in the Father and if you say you believe in the Father.

But you don't you don't believe in the Son.

They go together.

The opposite of what Jesus is saying here is true to those who believe in him believe in the Father.

But also those who do not believe in him do not believe in the Father.

And he already proclaimed when the Jewish leaders said God is their father.

He said your father is not God your father is the devil.

Verse 6 says I have come as light into the world so that everyone who believes in me will not remain in

darkness.

He said this over and over again in this gospel.

This is what he's been saying all along.

His coming is what has brought the light.

He is the light.

He's the light of the world.

And everyone who walks in darkness Walks in darkness apart from him only belief in him

comes with light.

No one is illumined apart from Christ.

There is no one enlightened apart from the intervention of God.

That's the whole point of the passage.

We were once in darkness, but he he brought us into light.

Verses 47 and 48.

If anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them I do not judge him.

For I did not come to the to judge the world but to save the world.

He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has one who judges him.

The word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.

Jesus affirms The ultimate objective of his mission he came to save the world.

He doesn't judge those who don't believe him right now if you see there was times in the Old Testament where these

fissures and Cracks and great chasms opened up in the world in the earth and it would swallow up

people who turned against God.

Jesus is like look those who are believing not believing in my me now.

I don't judge them immediately.

They're not being swallowed up into the earth and going to hell at this very moment.

We've talked about how Jesus Coming into the world naturally divides it.

Because either you believe or you don't believe and he said that those who don't believe are judged already.

John chapter 3 as one commentator says.

What initiated the sending of the Sun was love not judgment even if judgment

is the inevitable result of their darkness and Here Jesus

is talking about final judgment final condemnation on the last day.

Jesus says I don't judge the one who rejects me right now.

He confirms that there will be a time when the one who doesn't believe in him

or heed his sayings will have one who judges him and like the damning

Evidence in a courtroom trial so will Jesus's words be in this moment at the last day.

They heard the truth.

They heard the warning and he says this will be remembered.

Jesus's testimony seals their fate.

If anyone has superficial belief and heard his sayings, but doesn't do them that person shows.

Their superficial belief is actually unbelief.

Says in John 3 verse 36 he who believes in the Son has eternal life.

But he who does not obey the Son will not see life but the wrath of God abides on him and

That's the reality of what he's saying here and what he will especially impress upon the Apostles later in in

other chapters.

That the that the believer both hears and keeps the words of Jesus.

James the brother of Jesus says that as well be not only hears but doers of the word.

The Lord then finishes this discourse in verses 49 and 50.

He says for I did not speak on my own initiative.

But the Father himself who sent me has given me a commandment as what to say and what to

speak.

I Know that his commandment is eternal life.

Therefore the things I speak I speak just as the Father has told me.

And this is the height of the fulfillment of Deuteronomy 18.

When God says I will raise up a prophet from among their own countrymen Like you and I will put

my words in his mouth.

He shall speak to them.

Excuse me all that I commanded him.

It shall come about that whoever will not listen to my words, which he shall speak in my name

I let myself or require it of him.

The father has given the final prophet his son a commandment and he has given it to the people and

Those who do not listen to the father's words through the son.

He will require it of them.

He will hold them to account for hearing these words from his final prophet from his son

and not holding to them.

You see there's a reason that these final words of Jesus are so intense.

It's because they are the words of the father.

This was a triune operation.

The son does not and cannot act alone from the Father and Holy Spirit.

The mission of Jesus is facilitated by the providential will of the father and that commandment that he's

given.

The things that the father has told him to speak those things are eternal life.

He says His word is eternal life.

It is the singular solution to man's greatest plight.

Many Jews saw that life came from Moses's commandments.

Moses's commandments bring life.

But here the true and holy commandment given to Jesus is what brings life and salvation by grace

not the law.

And so church Jesus finishes his public ministry the way that he started in

Perfect obedience to the father as the father's greatest representation on earth.

He will also finish his life in the same way He'll finish his life with perfect obedience

to the father.

And so the Word made flesh Will now be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

The next five chapters leading up to the trial and crucifixion of Jesus in John 18

and 19 Will contain the details of what Jesus intimately taught his disciples.

I'm excited for that.

This today marks the end in John of Jesus's public ministry to people and

We'll spend the next five chapters looking at what he tells his apostles.

What he tells his disciples and by extension because we're disciples to what he means to tell you and I

I'm excited for that.

I find that amazing, honestly.

The Lord will spend his last days on the earth spending them to the men closest to him.

So let's wrap this up church.

I Want to leave us with a few reminders.

Okay, first you and I don't know who will have ultimate

unbelief.

And even though Jesus knew who believed and who didn't because he knew all men He still

gave this emotional and merciful plea to everyone believing and

unbelieving.

We ought to follow that example.

God has ordained the end Which is the salvation of man by his election

and he's also ordained the means gospel proclamation.

None of us know the ultimate state of a person only God does.

So we to share the truth and Since God is behind it all it

guarantees our success.

You see either God has elected a person and they turn or he has not and they

don't turn.

And either way the results are on God not you and I.

You didn't you didn't fail if you were just faithful.

It's all on God as Paul said in Romans 9 He gets all the glory

with it.

Either way the results are on God.

But that also means that Since we don't know the ultimate state of a person.

The reality is in the Christian Church.

There are going to be some who profess Christ with their lips, but will later fall away.

They will turn away.

This has happened even among the Gentile.

I'm sorry among the Apostles.

Sorry.

Demas loved the present world and left Christ.

Alexander and hymenaeus suffered shipwreck of the faith and it says that Paul handed them

over to Satan in their unbelief and There are these warnings all throughout the book of Hebrews

at a time when Jewish Christians were considering going back to Judaism.

Because of the persecution and various things that they were enduring.

I think as pastor James White preaches that Paul was preaching a message here and

Luke was recording it and Paul preaches and there's nothing to go back to.

It's all falling apart.

It's all fading away.

It'll all be gone very soon.

There's nothing to go back to.

He says in Hebrews chapter 3 take care brethren that there not be in any one of you

an evil Unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God an

Unbelieving heart that falls away from God but encourage one another Day after day

as long as it is as it is still called today.

So that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin for we have become partakers of

Christ.

Therefore hold fast the beginning of your assurance firmly until the end.

Don't go into unbelief.

Encourage one another day by day when you feel like you're doubting.

Get before your pastor.

Get before your friends hear the Saints.

Get before the Word of God.

To remind you stay firm in the faith.

Stand fast.

Honestly, it's like a formula.

I've seen it throughout my life now as a as a Christian falling away.

Begins with a neglect of your relationship with God.

Maybe a neglecting of the Word of God.

Then a purposeful neglect of assembling on the Lord's Day then

neglecting to serve others and as the Proverbs 18 says he who

secludes himself seeks his own desires a secluding a

Neglecting to be with others and serving others then a neglect of the

accountability of others the accountability of personal sins then

compromise with sin over and over again compromising and then a pursuit of it.

And

Apostasy typically ends with someone.

Justifying all the things that I just said this is why I do all of that.

This is why I did that the church has done this to me.

People have done that to me.

God hasn't taken care of me.

Justifying this is why I'm God.

No.

Those aren't the true reasons why you're gone.

John defines this apostasy in his first letter First John chapter 2 verse

19.

He says they went out from us.

To show that they were not really of us.

But if they had been of us, they would have remained with us.

But they went out so that it would be shown that they are not really of us.

And so we all have to guard ourselves from these things.

I Exhort you to stand firm until the end hold fast the confession of your faith that Jesus

wrought in you from the beginning.

Don't forget your first love.

I Also encourage you today to not let this topic of Unbelief

weigh you down.

God has saved you.

God has done something marvelous in you and Because God is

sovereign over salvation.

That means when you do believe he won't lose you.

That's the amazing part of it since God is sovereign over salvation.

It's not up to you it's a gift of God and Jesus says I

will lose none whom the Father give to me lose not one.

He says I will let none of the sheep God has given me perish.

None of them will be snatched out of my hand so remember that

If God isn't sovereign over salvation, we can't shout those things.

We can't praise God for those things.

We have to then tremble every day.

When will I fall away and when will I come back.

And when will I fall away and when will I come back?

No.

We may have times where there's little fruit in our lives.

There may be times where you struggle.

But if this is God's work which salvation is a work of God and not a work of man.

Then he and that work will last in you.

That's a promise.

So remember those things.

God Has given you eyes to see.

He's given you ears to hear he's changed your heart.

He's brought you from spiritual death into spiritual life no longer slaves to sin but slaves to Christ

and so make gratitude and Thankfulness to God flood your hearts in this moment.

Hold fast to the anchor of your soul Jesus Christ.

He's our only hope in this life and the one to come.

And so what incredible love he has for you church.

He let you and I in on an inheritance that we didn't deserve.

The son gave his life in exchange for yours the son took your

hell and Gifted you his heaven.

And so knowing the theology of unbelief I charge you to pray that God would grant

more belief during this time of his patience.

Because don't get that wrong.

While we wait for Christ to return We're in a time of patience.

It's amazing God is waiting and he will send his son and

He will judge the living and the dead as he says.

But during this time may he grant many more with belief.

May the Lord bring many more to faith and repentance before that return and may he preserve us.

And cause us to persevere to the end.

Let's pray Lord, thank you for your word

God these are hard truths.

We struggle with these things in our minds but God I pray that you would impress upon your

people the holiness and Majesty and power that you possess God.

I pray that even now we would be able to look in our minds as If Isaiah when he was looking upon the

one on the throne God, we're often bringing you down.

We're making you smaller than you are.

And we're making us ourselves bigger than we are.

But who are we?

Oh, man.

Who are we but those that which are molded.

We came from the dust.

Will people from the dust tell the God the Living God what to do?

Lord humble us.

Help us God To see that this was the greatest act of

intervention divine intervention the world has ever seen.

Apart from you Lord, we would be dead in our trespasses and sins.

And that's the reality.

Lord cause us to remember that every single day and

help us to look and marvel more at the grace of Jesus Christ and

Rather than the wrath that will be spent.

For we know we all deserve that wrath.

Lord we praise your name.

Thank you for today pray this in Jesus.

Holy name.

Amen.