(John) His Own Nation Received Him Not — Willie Mullan

John's Gospel: His Own Nation Received Him Not

John's Gospel, chapter twelve, and we're way at the end of the chapter tonight, and I'm going from verse thirty-seven right down to the end of the chapter. We've just come to the close of the first section of John's Gospel.

John's Gospel, composed of twenty-one chapters, divides itself very neatly into two sections, that's one running from chapter one to the end of chapter twelve, and the other one running from chapter fifteen right through to the end.

And they're both governed by two statements that I want you to notice this evening. Let's go back to the first chapter, John chapter one, and verse ten. John one, verse ten, he was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

He came unto his own, and his own received him not. The first section of John's Gospel is governed by these two words, his own, because it's in the neuter gender, in the Greek, and you could say his own possessions, or his own creatures, and that's actually the idea.

He came unto his own creatures, his own chapters, and expounding, and revealing, and performing, all to bring them to himself in saving faith. But the whole statement is before us, his own received him not.

When we come to the end of chapter twelve, you'll find tonight that he's turning his back upon those who rejected him, and he's leaving them in their darkness as well. Now chapter thirteen, have a look at it.

It starts a new section again. We'll get into it more fully next week, but here's thirteen, verse one. Now, before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

But this time, it's not his own creatures, you know. It's his own followers. And for twelve chapters, he was preaching, and expanding, and performing, and working miracles before his own creatures, that he might draw them to him.

But his own creatures received them not, and at the end of chapter twelve, tonight, he will be turning his back upon them, leaving them in the darkness to dwell. And from chapter thirteen, we shall find that he's shut in with his own followers.

What a beautiful section of John's gospel it is, from chapter thirteen. He's up in the upper room, and he begins by teaching them the touching, wonderful truth of feet washing. We'll get into that next week.

But it's his own followers he's dealing with. Then in chapter fourteen, he begins to reveal to them the wonderful grace that he's going to prepare for. Chapter fifteen, he teaches his own followers all about foot-bearing.

Chapter seventeen, he's at the throne praying for them. And in these chapters to come, he's occupied with his own followers. One to twelve, his own creatures. He's right through to the end, his own followers, and what teachings there are in the chapters to come for his own followers.

Why, it's the cream of the whole gospel. But we're at the end of this other section this evening, and we're commencing at verse thirty-seven, and we're dealing there with the prophecy of the nation. See how it's worded?

But. It's not only but, but no. Tremendous wording. But oh, he had done so many miracles before them, his own creatures, yet they believed not on him. Why, he had done everything down through these wonderful chapters.

Everything by the way of miracles, and everything by the way of messages. But neither messages nor miracles. He had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him. And that brings before us the prophecy of the nation.

We shall go into that in a moment or so. Then that leads on this evening to the immutability of the works, because through their rejection, and through their stubborn rebellion, they fulfilled the word of Isaiah, sixty-three.

And it brings out very clearly how immutable, and unchangeable, and impregnable, and unalterable, and infallible is the word of the living God. And then that leads on to something that's really deep, that we must take time with this evening, the activity of the Lord.

Yes, the depravity of the people proved the immutability of the work, but all that led on to the activity of the Lord, because these rejecters were left in blindness and darkness. And that was the Lord's doing, and that's a very touching bit of the chapter, and we need to take time with it.

And then, in verse forty-one, these things said Isaiah, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. This is one of the phrases in John's Gospel that brings up very clearly the deity of the Son. Then afterward, in verse forty-two and forty-three, we can see the mentality of the rulers who profess to know him, but were afraid to confess him openly.

And then, the last part of the chapter this evening, is just a repasture, I believe, by the Apostle, of all the great teachings right through these twelve chapters. Glorious message of the Gospel, we have the simplicity of the Gospel at the end of the chapter.

There are the headings for you, the depravity of the nation, the immutability of the work, the activity of the Lord, the deity of the Son, the mentality of the rulers, and the simplicity of the Gospel.

The Nation’s Unbelief Despite Christ’s Miracles

Now, let's begin now at the beginning. Verse thirty-six, But though he hath done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him. Now, this is worded like a wonder. He's a little job for you students to do.

Sometime, and begin very soon, go through your Bible and mark every verse that you can find with the word, though, and the word, yet, in it, and you'll get a whole host of wonders. Now, let me find one or two for you, and that will start you off, and then you can find the rest.

Here's a lovely one, in 2 Corinthians, chapter eight, 2 Corinthians, chapter eight, verse nine, For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet, for your sake, he became poor.

You know what that is? That's the wonder of his grace. That's the wonder of his grace. You know what marvelous grace is here? The grace of our Lord Jesus. But though he was rich, he was the existence of Christ before Bethlehem.

For the sake of young believers, let me repeat this. You know, Unitarians, they don't believe that Jesus Christ existed before Bethlehem. They think that he just became the Son of God when he was born at Bethlehem.

There was no pre-existence, and once a very clever Unitarian spoke to a believer and said, Could you show me one verse in the Bible to prove that Christ existed before Bethlehem? Now, could you show me one?

Could you prove very simply that Christ existed before Bethlehem? I could show you fifty. There's no trouble with this at all. But on this occasion, the believer just couldn't get a verse. And as he stood, you know, all taken back and in the corner, Dr. Ironside was going down the far side of the street, and he said, Doctor, come here a wee minute.

Brought the old doctor over. He said, This fellow wants a verse to prove that Christ existed before Bethlehem. And the old doctor rattled this one out, Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor.

And the Unitarian said, What's that got to do with proving that he existed before Bethlehem? It's got this to do with it, said the doctor. Supposing I asked you the question, When was Christ rich? Was he rich at Bethlehem?

No, he was born in a stable. Was he rich in life? By the foxes at home, and the birds of the air that nest, and on one occasion he had to say, Show me a penny. Was he rich in death? He hung on another man's cloth, and he was buried in another man's grave.

So that from Bethlehem to the cross of Calvary, where was he rich? But the Bible says, Though he was rich, for it is in heaven of holiness, in the bosom of the Father. High and lifted up, we shall see him this evening, with all the created intelligences and heavens bowing before him, and adorning him crying, Holy, holy, holy, with every angel bowed at his feet.

The wonder of his grip, though he was rich, and don't quote it this way, for our sakes, no, for your sakes, preach it out, for your sakes, for you. Let me look into your face and say this, that the Lord Jesus, who was rich beyond all estimation, for you, nobody else will ever do that for you.

He can be perfectly sure of that. That's the wonder. Isn't it wonderful that he became poor for a thing like me? My, that humbles me to even think of it. That's the wonder. The wonder of his grace. Now, here's another one.

Christ’s Birth and Eternal Preexistence

Go back to the Old Testament, to Micah the prophet. And then comes Micah, and we're at chapter 5, and verse 2, the prophet is saying, But thou, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me, that is to the ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlast.

You can see the though and the yet, and this wording always produces a wonder. This is the wonder of his birth. My, to think of it, that the king of kings, and Lord of lords, yea, the Lord of glory, should be born in the little town of Bethlehem.

Oh, the wonder. And when you get the stable in its right place, and the manger in its right place, and the swaddling vans in the right place, oh, the wonder of his birth. Here's another one, sorry I mustn't go around too long at this, but I'm starting the younger ones off.

This is Hebrews chapter 5, it's a lovely one. Hebrews 5, verse 8, He will ascend by the things which he suffereth. There's a wonder there. It's the wonder of his experience. Don't ever read it like this.

Though he were a son, yet learned he to obey. Oh, not at all. Oh, not at all. It says though he were a son, yet learned he obedience. He had the experience now, of what obedience really meant in a human form.

But he was never in harmony with his father, you know, before he came. Never disobedient. But now he learned by experience what obedience to the word of the Lord really meant. And he learned it by the things which he suffered.

That's the wonder of his experience. My, to think that he took upon him the form of a servant and was found in fashion as a man. Yes, my, if you go through your Bible, you'll find quite a host of these.

I think that I can memorize about 10 of them, maybe 12. You find them, and you'll get a lot of wonders. The wonder of his grace, the wonder of his experience. Here's another one to finish it off, in 2 Corinthians chapter 13.

2 Corinthians chapter 13. He was crucified for weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. That's the wonder of his death, and the wonder of his resurrection all bundled up together. Wonders are like through the Bible.

You know, when you leave the Lord Jesus and begin to look at other characters, you'll find that Job said this. When he was a weighed-down group in sorrow, and everything around him had collapsed, out of the depths he cried, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.

That's the wonder of real faith. We're not looking at the wonder of his birth, or the wonder of his grace, or the wonder of his experience, or the wonder of his death, or the wonder of his resurrection, or the wonder of trust for life.

We're looking at the wonder of unbelief. There are miracles before them, yet they believe not. You know, some people say to me, I've heard this, I think, many times, when we've had a real gospel meeting here, when the Holy Ghost has come upon the place, when we feel the very hush of heaven, when God has moved men, I hear people saying, wouldn't you wonder how long he'd go out?

That's the wonder of unbelief. I've done so many miracles before them, yet they believe not. My, I want you to get the hold of this, that's why I'm holding on to it. Yet they believe not on him. You see, right down through these twelve chapters, we have miracle after miracle, we have message after message, and all the preaching, and all the performance, and all the messages, and all the might, didn't really make a mark on these depraved Christ rejecters.

Let me tell you, you know, God will not go on demonstrating to you his power, and bringing messages to bear upon your heart forevermore. There's going to be a time when, when the messages will cease, and the demonstrations will be taken away, and God will turn his back on you.

That'll be dreadful. Let's get the hold of this. You know, this is the wonder of unbelief, and there comes a result from this rejection. Now, watch it carefully. Verse thirty-second, but though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him, that the saying of Isaiah, it's written Isaiah, there, that's the Greek word for Isaiah, which is the Hebrew one, that the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord who hath believed thou the first, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed.

Isaiah’s Prophecy and the Consequences of Rejection

Now, I want you to get this very carefully. You see, the Lord Jesus came into the world and he sought out his own creatures, and he preached mighty messages, and he performed much of his miracles, but though he had done so many miracles, yet they believed not on him, that the word of Isaiah, in this degree, might be fulfilled.

Now, let's get this clear and level in our minds. Remember, they didn't reject Christ to purposely fulfill the word of the Lord. Of course, you know that. You know that's all right. I want to get this leveled up.

And remember, the Lord didn't do something in them to keep them in unbelief that his word might be fulfilled. No, not at all. God doesn't need to work in a man's heart to make him unbelieve anything. My, if God doesn't work mightily upon him, he'll die in unbelief.

But while the Lord Jesus presented the credentials of his messiahship, and preached mighty messages, and performed much of his miracles, and these men and women are moved, they're very quick of Christ's rejection, fulfilled to Isaiah 53.

Have a good look up. Isaiah 53, you know how it begins. The prophet is crying, he is unbelieving. And if you balance this over with John chapter 12, you will find there is one more word added. Because in John chapter 12, it reads like this, Lord, who hath believed?

I'll report. That's just a little bit more light to let you see that the prophet is really crying to the Lord. This is actually a petition of the prophet. He says, Lord, we have brought the messages to them.

And who has been a Nazi, or the Greeks, have brought them the good news, have preached day after day, but who has believed? The arm of the Lord is just a picker of speech for the strength of Jehovah. You want to sue your tongue, you sue your arm.

The arm of the Lord is just the might of the Lord. And you know, these prophets, they have been moved by the Spirit of God, and the message has gone forth in the power of the Holy Ghost. But neither the mouth nor the message have made any mark on the book.

And now the Lord Jesus has come at the end of the process. And for twelve chapters he's been preaching. We've gone through the messages, what messages there were. Think of the message of chapter five, then chapter six, then seven, then eight, then nine, then ten.

All the messages. Go back through the twelve chapters and look at the miracles. And who has believed the report of Jehovah the Almighty come upon them? Here they are at the end of twelve, and at the end of almost three and a half years.

So that you young preachers, you needn't get too excited if the whole world doesn't bow at your feet. Because when the Lord Jesus was here, and there was no preacher just like him, never a man speak like this man.

And the miracles that he wrought were real miracles, no bluff about them. And yet the messages and the miracles of the Master, the Messiah, why it didn't move the petition of the prophet, becomes the portion of the potentate now.

It's the Lord's portion now. He's seeing the people in their stubborn unbelief. But remember, the people didn't just stand in unbelief to fulfill the word of the Lord. And remember, the Lord didn't keep them in unbelief to fulfill his word.

It's just this betrayed human heart that we're giving up now, that even the Christ of God preached to and performed miracles before, but it stayed in unbelief. Now let's get a look at something that's deeper than all that.

Divine Hardening and the Limits of Unbelief

We'll get back to John, chapter 12. I'll stress very carefully, because this is the deep and debatable bit, but if you get it right now, you'll have no more trouble with it. We'll go from verse 37 again.

But though he had done so many miracles before them, they believed not on him, that the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled which he preached. Lord, who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

Therefore they could not believe. Now here's where the argument comes in. Some people took it like this. They could not believe because the Lord hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts. That's what they said.

I want you to be careful with this, because this is debatable, you know, and it has been argued down through the ages, and there are a great lot of nonsense talked about this. Now watch. The word doesn't say, they could not believe because the Lord hath blinded their eyes.

The word says, therefore. I want you to get the therefore, and I want you to take a good look at it and make sure about it. Now, the therefore here in this phrase is just tantamount to the word because.

You see, because of their rejection, because they had fulfilled the word of the Lord in rejecting the message and the might that was placed before them, because of all that's in the past of their rejection, now they can't believe because God has left them.

But let me tell you this. God didn't leave them at the beginning so that they couldn't believe. Up the chapter a little bit, it says that they believed not. My, they could have believed then, all right.

When the presentation of the message and the medical was being put to them, aye, they could have believed, but they believed not on him. They rejected him. And the result of the rejection, first of all, fulfilled Isaiah 53.

And now, because of their continued rejection, right down through the chapter, God turns his back on them and leaves them in the darkness. It's a tremendous truth to get the whole of. You know, there might be people in this meeting, if you've heard the gospel a few times, maybe the Holy Ghost has taken a dealing with you more than once, and the message and the might of Jehovah might be new a portion again and again and again, but tonight, you're still a Christ-rejecter.

You see, their rejection fulfilled Isaiah 53, but their continual rejection went further and fulfilled Isaiah chapter 6. You see, here's the whole reading now. Let's read it again. Verse 37. But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not in him, that the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, that is, Isaiah 53, Lord, you have believed our report, unto whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed.

Therefore, because of all that, they could not believe just then. Oh, they've had ample opportunities of believing down through the three and a half years, but because of their continual unbelief, now they fulfill Isaiah chapter 6.

What a fulfillment that was. Therefore, they could not believe because, that Isaiah said again, he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, that they should not see with their eyes, but understand with their hearts, and be converted, and their eyes should heal them.

Then comes in that wonderful verse, these things said Isaiah when he saw his glory, and speak of him. There is no doubt at all that that forty-first verse is referring back to the Lord Jesus. When did Isaiah see the glory of the Lord Jesus, and speak of him?

In Isaiah chapter 6. So, let's have a look at it, shall you see, and I think you'll get the hold of the whole truth then. Isaiah chapter 6, and it's a lovely one, verse 1. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up on his train through the temple.

Why, you can see the glory of the Lord there. And, above it stood the seraphims, each one had six wings, with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And, you can see the honor of the Lord there.

My, these creative beings, whatever they may be, these wonderful, creative intelligences called seraphim, my, they're covering up their faces, so covering up their feet, as they bowed in the presence of the Lord.

Can't you see the honor he's got? One cried unto another and said, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory, and the posts of the door moves at the voice of him that said it.

The house is filled with smoke. Can't you see the power? You see the glory, and the honor, and the power that's here. That's why I then said, ah, no wonder Isaiah talked like this. Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man upon clean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people upon clean lips, for mine eyes have seen the King, or mark that wee bit, the Lord of hosts.

Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a life cool in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar, and he knelt upon my mouth and said, Lord, this has touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I, send me. And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not, see ye indeed, but perceive not.

Make the heart of this people soft, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and confess in the heels.

That's the very saying that's in John 12. I was asked a question, then I said, then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitants, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate.

Let me tell you this, Jesus preached for three and a half years, and performed those mighty miracles, and at the end of three and a half years preaching from the Christ of God, the whole nation stood still, full of rejection, his own received them not.

They had come to the spot where God was turning his back on them, and leaving them in desolation. Until the tribulation comes, and they're there yet tonight. That was national, remember. The Lord was turning his back on the nation here, and in chapter 13, he's taken up with his own followers from that point on.

National Judgment, Personal Warning, and Final Delusion

Let us get this bit right. The thing that was national then can be personal now. I pray for the Lord to turn from some soul in this meeting tonight, and never speak to your heart again, and never come upon you with his power again.

For the Lord to forsake you would mean that you would not only be doomed, but damned. So the thing that was national in that day, and the thing that is personal tonight, in a few days to come it will be international, because the Lord will deal with the whole world.

Let's go to 2 Thessalonians, do you see? 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2, and this is looking forward to the time when the wicked one shall be revealed. The man of sin, look at verse 9, verse 8, and then, at that particular time and period, shall not wicked be revealed, it should be wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his tongue.

Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness upon righteousness, and then the perish, because, now watch this, you see, they received not the love of the truth.

See, they had a whole image, and the truth was preached to them, they received not the love of the truth that they might receive, and for this cause, just because of that. He can do that, so will he not?

He'll do it. God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, for the word might be that they shall believe me lie, which would be another title for the man of sin, the wicked one, the liar, that they all might be some who believe not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness.

See, all the time, the tables are turning on sinners. Sinners are not conscious enough of this. I think this is a truth that needs to be battered home. You know, friend, if you've heard the gospel for years, and you know the whole fundamental truth of the grand old message of the gospel, how that God loved you, and Christ came, and went, and died, and rose again, and there is a wonderful Savior waiting for you to be.

My, if you go on rejecting this, you see, you're just telling God you don't love the truth, you don't want the truth. I went to some big fashionable church tonight where the mother in it was minister, and I started to preach like this.

Well, I would never be in again, I no longer. Why? Because they don't love the truth, they just love ritual. They say, we'll put a few drops on the baby's brow, and we'll make him a child of God. Well, don't they think they will?

But they'll send a baby, and the man that believes it's a hell. Don't you ever substitute to it, he drops the water for the blood of Christ. You're a fool if you do. Because people don't like that. There might be some here who don't like it.

Well, I'm not worried. But the man who's something very low, God will see he'll get what he wants. And so he'll come on the people who reject the truth, in a day not far distant, and he'll send strong delusion upon their minds, so that they'll believe the lie that they all might be damned.

That'll be international. In a day past, that was only national, he just lost the nation in the darkness. And tonight, God could finish with you and let you come to hell. And in a day not far distant, God will send strong delusion on this world, that all who rejected the truth might be damned.

Is that in your book? Well, it's your book. And if you don't love what's in the book, it's a great pity of you. A serious truth we're at tonight. It's something that would shake any preacher. You might be preaching your last message, and the power of God might have come on you for the last time, for some soul.

Oh, that we were all conscious of this. And, oh, that you sinners were doubly conscious of this. Maybe you would flee from the rastakhan. But, you see, way back in Isaiah, Isaiah saw the Lord lifted up and on the throne, and he knew this is the King.

This is the King. He saw the King in all his glory. Now, here's the idea, that the one before whom all the creatures in heaven bowed, and hid their face, and hid their feet, the nation of the Messiah, the King, and he was rejected.

I think there's a whole lot of sinners don't get it right, that the one who knocks at their heart's door is the Eternal Son of God. It's a solemn thing. Tremendous teaching he is. Let's get on into this.

The Mentality of the Rulers

We're at John 12. I think that you can see the deity of the Lord Jesus. I won't go back on that. You've noticed the depravity of the nation, and you've noticed the immutability of the world, and you did see the activity of the Lord, and you noticed the deity of the Son, because Isaiah saw his glory, and he speak of him.

And, yet, there comes into this this word, nevertheless, in verse 42. Nevertheless, in spite of all the darkness of the nation, nevertheless, among the chief rulers, also, many believed on him. But, but because of the fatherly, they did not confess him.

You see, they were afraid of the fatherly, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. So, they really adored the place, fell in love with the place. For they loved the place of men more than the place of God.

Now, here are three things we want to mark. Three things I trust will never be the portion of any believer in this place. First, we will never fear the policy, and I trust that every believer here will never be afraid of the policy.

And, I trust that the second thing is that you'll never fall too much in love just with a place. Now, that's a danger. Are you adoring the place? And, I trust you'll never love the place of men. My dear friends, you'll never be any good to the Lord if you're afraid of the fatherly, and you adore the place, and you love the place of men.

Never be any use to the Lord. Here are three things to mark. What a mentality these rulers have. My, I wouldn't like to have it. Then, we go on from the mentality of the rulers to the simplicity of the gospel.

The Simplicity and Authority of the Gospel

I really believe, because of the wording of this, that this is a recapture of all the truth that has been preached in the last twelve chapters. You see how it begins. Jesus cried and said, I believe that John is going back through the sayings of the Saviour, and the messages of the Master.

I think he's going back to the things that Christ cried, the messages of the Master, and the things that Christ said, the sayings of the Saviour. I believe it's a recapture. Because, if you look down the next verses, you'll find that they're the very same sayings, and the very same messages, that they have through the first twelve chapters of John.

Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him. I believe, like Pulitzer and many other great scholars, that this would be far more clear and simple if it read like this.

Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but believe of him that sent me. You see, I believe that the testimony of the Father to the Son always comes into the gospel. You see, the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

And the witness of God to him is a wonderful thing. It's greater than the witness of men. And this is the record that God hath given of his Son, that he hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in itself.

That's the testimony of the Father to the Son. And you've got to believe him that sent Christ, if you want to get life. But you know, it's not only that way put to use. It's put in the other verse, verse forty-five, and he that seeth me, who seeth him that sent me, this is the testimony of the Son to the Father.