Obeying the light

Posted on December 20, 2018 by Jefferson Vann
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John 12:44-46

Joh 12:44 Jesus screamed out, “The believer in me believes not in me, but in my sender.

Joh 12:45 And the one who experiences me experiences my sender.

Joh 12:46 I have come as light into the world, so that every believer in me would not stay in the darkness.

Obeying the light

The darkness Jesus speaks of here is the lack of awareness of the Father’s desire and plan. Jesus came to expose those things. Many claimed a special relationship with God in Jesus’ day. But only those who had a true faith in Christ were walking in his light, and thus experiencing his sender.

We who talk about the gospel make much of following Christ as a way to God. Jesus came to die for our sins, but he also came to show us a way to the Father. In fact, those two missions are parts of the same one plan. Those who trust in the cross of Jesus are also inclined to obey the teachings of Jesus. Doing so not only makes us “happy in Jesus” but gives us confidence that we will inherit the permanent life he promised.

Lord, give all of us who trust you the courage to obey you.

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Cowardly attraction or steady faith

Posted on December 19, 2018 by Jefferson Vann
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John 12:41-43

Joh 12:41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke about him.

Joh 12:42 At the same time, actually, many did believe in him even among the rulers, but because of the Pharisees they were not admitting it, so that they would not be expelled from the synagogue.

Joh 12:43 Because they loved human glory more than the glory of God.

Cowardly attraction or steady faith

The word for “believe” (πιστεύω) is sufficiently general that it actually refers here to the cowardly attraction the crowds had to Jesus. They were not committed enough to stand up for Jesus to the peer pressure of the religious elite, who had turned against him.

Do you believe in Jesus, my friend? Don’t answer in the sanctuary of your church. Answer that question in the halls of your school, or the break table at work.

Lord, give us a strong and steady faith which affirms faith in you wherever the question is raised.

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unable to believe

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Jefferson Vann
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John 12:38-40

Joh 12:38 So that the word of the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled, which said: “Lord, who has believed what we heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”1

Joh 12:39 This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah said again:

Joh 12:40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they would not see with their eyes or understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would cure them.”2

unable to believe

The crowds had no problem believing that Jesus was a miracle worker, but they were unable to believe the gospel which he preached. John explained this by referring back to Isaiah’s words. Isaiah was able to believe because God had revealed his glory to him. What people need in order to be converted is a vision of who God is. Otherwise, they will remain blind no matter what they see. Their hearts will not soften unless exposed to the presence of God.

Lord, show us how to pray unbelievers into your presence, so that they catch a glimpse of your glory.

1Isaiah 53:1

2Isaiah 6:10; 29:10

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Burning daylight

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Jefferson Vann
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John 12:35-37

Joh 12:35 Jesus said to them, “The light is with you until only a brief time. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn’t catch up with you. The one walking in darkness doesn’t know where he’s going.
Joh 12:36 While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become children of light.” Jesus said these words, then went away and concealed himself from them.
Joh 12:37 Even though he had performed so many sign miracles in their presence, they did not believe in him.

Burning daylight

When we were hiking the Appalachian Trail, my wife and I usually woke up while it was still dark, so that we could get our breakfast, break down and pack up, and be ready at first light for the day’s hike. We understood the value of the those daylight hours. If we didn’t get up and go quickly, we would be burning daylight. We depended on our being able to see the trail clearly so that we could make progress on it.

The people in Jesus’ day stared fully into the brightness of God’s Messiah. The saw his miracles, heard his divine words, experienced his guidance. But most of them failed to commit themselves to walking according to the gospel he preached. In this passage, he warned them that he was about to go away. The light which they had taken for granted was limited, and they had failed to go in the direction he had revealed.

Get up and go, friends. We’re burning daylight.

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escape plan

Posted on December 16, 2018 by Jefferson Vann
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John 12:31-34

Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be expelled.

Joh 12:32 And me, when I am lifted up from the ground I will draw all people to myself.”

Joh 12:33 He said this indicating what kind of death he was about to die.

Joh 12:34 Then the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah will stay permanently. So how can you say, ‘The Son of Man has to be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

escape plan

The cross was an unexpected event. The people were looking for the Messiah to stay permanently. They expected someone who had the power to raise the dead to overcome death himself. And Jesus did just that. But, first, he would have to die. Because he did not have to die for his own sins, he was the only one who could die for ours. God’s gospel plan was an escape plan. But in order for believers to escape permanent death, Jesus had to forego his right to permanent life.

Lord, thank you for making our escape possible.

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Why the voice came

Posted on December 15, 2018 by Jefferson Vann
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John 12:27-30

Joh 12:27 “Now my soul has been agitated. And what should I say– Father, save me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour.

Joh 12:28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from the sky: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

Joh 12:29 The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder that happened. Others said, “An angel had spoken to him.”

Joh 12:30 Jesus answered, and this is what he said, “This voice came, not for me, but for you.

Why the voice came

Understand this – my friend. You will have times like this. You will have times of deep soul agitation, and you will long expectantly for a response from God. All you will need is assurance from your creator that he has not forgotten you, and all this trouble is somehow part of his divine plan. Jesus cried out for God to glorify himself in the mess that was his life at that time. The voice came.

The Father reassured the Son that everything was happening according to the divine plan. The same God who parted the waters in Egypt was orchestrating the terrible events that would lead him to the cross. Both events would eventually be seen to glorify God.

But notice what Jesus said after that. When the people asked about the voice, he said it came not for him, but for them. For Jesus, the prayer alone would have sufficed. The child of God does not always need an audible answer. But it does help to make the request.

Lord, give us the wisdom to seek your presence daily, and to be satisfied with your presence, even if we don’t always get the answers to our questions.

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Soul hating

Posted on December 14, 2018 by Jefferson Vann
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John 12:23-26

Joh 12:23 Jesus answers them. This is what he says, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

Joh 12:24 I honestly tell you, unless a kernel of wheat after falling to the ground — dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.

Joh 12:25 The one who highly regards his soul destroys it, and the one who hates his soul in this world will preserve it for permanent life.

Joh 12:26 If anyone manages for me, he has to follow me. Where I am, there my manager also will be. If anyone manages for me, the Father will honor him.

Soul hating

Philip had been paid a huge complement by the Greeks, who had desired an audience with Jesus. They called him ‘Lord’ (12:21). I’m thinking that Philip’s ego was being stroked there. This made Jesus’ comments here so appropriate. To highly regard one’s soul is to let superfluous acclaim go to your head, and become prideful. That will wind up destroying your soul. But to hate your soul is to remain humble no matter what others think of you. Such an attitude will wind up preserving your soul for the future permanent life.

You might notice that I did not translate ψυχή (soul) as “life” in verse 25. To do so would be to lose the distinction between it and ζωή which appears in the same verse, and is the more normally translated “life.” I also translated διακονέω as “manage” rather than the usual “serve.” John had been using the term to indicate the process of managing. If Jesus had meant to emphasize mere serving, he would have probably used δουλεύω instead (Matthew 6:24; Luke 15:29). Also, if Jesus is addressing the issue of Philip’s pride, a better word to indicate the pride of someone who “ministers” for Jesus is διακονέω.

Lord, keep us from falling for the trap of getting prideful about serving you.

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When they call you ‘Lord’

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Jefferson Vann
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John 12:17-22

Joh 12:17 That was why the crowd (which had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead ones) was testifying.
Joh 12:18 This is the reason that the crowd met him, because they heard he had done this sign.
Joh 12:19 That was why the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you’re getting nowhere. Look, the world has gone after him!”
Joh 12:20 But some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival.
Joh 12:21 That was why they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and say to him, “Lord, we want to see Jesus.”
Joh 12:22 Philip goes and says it to Andrew; then Andrew and Philip go and say it to Jesus.

When they call you ‘Lord’

Philip finds himself serving as an emissary to Jesus here. The Greeks honor him with the designation Lord (κύριε) – the same title that they use for Jesus himself. John apparently provides this information to his readers for two reasons: it highlights what the Pharisees had complained about – that the whole world had gone after Jesus, and it establishes a context for Jesus’ teaching about self (soul) denial in vss. 23-26.

As children of God, followers of Jesus, we do have a certain status and serve as emissaries of Christ. It is right for those serving Jesus to honor us as his representatives. We don’t always receive that honor. Often those who reject Christ take out their animosity for him on us. That is all part of the job. We should be prepared for either reaction, and recognize that our connection to Christ may put us in the limelight, or send us to the cross.

Lord, whether they love us or hate us, may it be because of you.

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All a blur

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Jefferson Vann
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John 12:12-16

Joh 12:12 The next day, after hearing that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, the numerous crowd that had come to the festival

Joh 12:13 took palm branches and went out to meet him. They kept screaming: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who is coming in the name of the Lord– the King of Israel!”

Joh 12:14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just like what is written:

Joh 12:15 Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion. Notice, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.1

Joh 12:16 His disciples did not understand these things at first. But when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and that these things were done to him.

All a blur

Usually we understand things when we experience them, and then they get blurry when we try to remember them. But for the disciples, the last days of Jesus in Jerusalem were the opposite. While they were experiencing Jesus’ final debates, trials and crucifixion, things were all a blur. Later, after his resurrection, when Jesus was glorified, the Holy Spirit lifted the fuzzy film from their consciousness, and helped them to understand exactly what had happened. I can think of two reasons for this. First, the disciples needed to allow Jesus to experience the cross without their interference. Secondly, they needed clarity after the resurrection in order to communicate the gospel and lead the church.

Lord, give us the wisdom to keep following you even when we do not clearly understand what is going on. But give us clarity when we need to share your gospel and lead your people.

1Zechariah 9:9.

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A display item

Posted on December 11, 2018 by Jefferson Vann
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John 12:9-11

Joh 12:9 That was why a large crowd of the Jews found out that he is there. They came not only on account of Jesus but also so they could see Lazarus, the one he had raised from the dead ones.

Joh 12:10 But the chief priests had resolved to also kill Lazarus,

Joh 12:11 because many of the Jews were deserting them and were believing in Jesus on account of him.

A display item

When I served as a missionary in the Philippines, I went to a few weddings. You never know exactly who is going to show up to a Filipino wedding. Lots of people are invited, but usually a lot more people show up. It can be a management nightmare. Such was probably the case for Martha. People were coming from all over Jerusalem because they wanted to see Jesus, and Lazarus.

Lazarus had gained celebrity status when Jesus raised him from the dead. He was now a display item in the museum of Jesus’ works.

Lord, change us so much by your Holy Spirit that we become display items, drawing people to you.

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