March 25, 2018
Morning Service

Jesus displayed His power over death in chapter 11 as He raised Lazarus from the grave after four days.  This miracle sets the stage for what we will celebrate next week with His own resurrection.  He also displayed His compassion and heart to us in that as He saw those He loved grieving, He wept with them.  It indeed has been a revelation to me that God is not only present in our time of suffering, but He suffers along with us.  He truly loves and cares about us.  As we finished the chapter we saw the Jewish leaders again plotting to kill Jesus and Caiaphas make a very prophetic statement.  He said it would expedient that “one man would die for the people.  As we began chapter 12, Mary anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive oil and wiped it dry with her hair.  It was an awesome display of worship on her part as she gave her most prized possession to her Lord.  This took place the night before Jesus enters Jerusalem for the last time.

John 12:12-15  On the next day, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, a great crowd who had come to the Feast  (13)  took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him. And they cried, “Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord!"  (14)  And finding a young donkey, Jesus sat on it; as it is written, (15) "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King comes sitting on a donkey’s colt."

·        God chose the time of the Feast of the Passover for Jesus to enter into Jerusalem.  All Israel would be gathered to celebrate giving Jesus a huge audience to proclaim His truth to them.  They had been waiting for this day with great anticipation that the Messiah would come.  He gave them hope for the future.

·        The crowd praised Him, but it appears they had the wrong idea of what was about to happen.  They hailed Him as their king thinking He would become their national leader and restore to its former glory.  In their short sighted view they hoped the Messiah would overthrow the Romans, but God had bigger plans for His Son. That is why in one short week these who praised Him would cry out for Him to be crucified. 

·        This is a climatic point in Jesus’ ministry.  It is the first time He does not quiet the crowd or move away from the spotlight.  The Pharisees confront Him to quiet the worship that was coming from the crowd and He told them:

Luke 19:40 And He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should be silent, the stones would cry out.”

·        What a wonderful challenge for us to let our voice be heard in praise of our Savior.  We are invited to join, but if we remain quiet the stones will cry out for us.  As we have opportunities arise to praise Him in our lives may we always speak out boldly and sing loudly.

·        This was a time for Him to shine, yet He enters on the colt of a donkey in great humility because He came in love to save the world not to condemn it. This of course fulfills a prophecy from Zech. 9:9.  The next time He returns it will be as a Warrior on a white horse coming to judge those who chose to reject His offering of salvation.

 

 

John 12:16 But His disciples did not know these things at the first. But when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him.

·        Through the help of the Holy Spirit the disciples were able to recall all the conversations, scriptures and events that they had experienced with Jesus and realize that He had used them all to bring them to a greater understanding of the truth.  He led them with a purpose.

·        Have you ever experienced that?  Have you looked back at the path you just walked and realized that it was God that led you there to draw you closer to Him?  He is leading us with a purpose as well.

John 12:17-19 Then the crowd witnessed, those who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead.  (18)  Because of this the crowd also met Him, because they heard that He had done this miracle.  (19)  Then the Pharisees said among them, “Do you see how you gain nothing? Behold, the world has gone after Him.”

·        The people all flocked to see and hear Him and the Pharisees thought all was lost and their desire to kill Him hit another level (all according to God’s plan).

 

John 12:20-26  And there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the Feast.  (21)  Then these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”  (22)  Philip came and told Andrew. And again Andrew and Philip told Jesus.  (23)  And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.  (24)  Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit.  (25)  He who loves his life shall lose it. And he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal.  (26)  If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there also My servant shall be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”

·        Jesus again uses something that we are all very familiar with to teach us about a deep spiritual truth.  Just as Caiaphas had prophesied that “One man should die for many” this parable tells the same story.  The single seed must die so it can bring forth abundant fruit.  It was expedient that Christ give His life as on offering for all mankind’s sin.

·        He then challenges His followers to love Him more than they love their own lives.  We must lose our life to find it.  We must surrender to gain victory.  That is what it means to truly follow Jesus; surrendering our will to His.  It all began as we spiritually died in the waters of baptism to arise to walk in the newness of life.  Our life journey with Christ then is filled with times we must die out to our own selfish desires and choose to obey Christ.  We are only truly free to worship and serve God when we surrender our heart, mind, body, soul and strength to Him.  We allow Him to live through us.  Paul said it this way:

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I live; yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith toward the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself on my behalf.

·        This is a daily challenge for us because our flesh continually is crying out for us to yield to it.  We as His sheep know the voice of our Good Shepherd and choose to follow Him.  We must only think of the love He portrayed towards us to motivate us (relationship not religion).   Jesus chose to enter into Jerusalem knowing that He would be betrayed, falsely accused, be beaten beyond belief, and finally surrender His life upon the cross.  This choice is on His mind even now in this day of celebration.

 

 

John 12:27-28 “And My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? “Father, save Me from this hour?” But for this cause I came to this hour.  (28)  Father, glorify Your name! Then there came a voice from the heaven saying, I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

·        Jesus had a resolve to fulfill the purpose that He had been sent for.  He chose the road of suffering and death rather than to have His Father deliver Him from it.  He made that choice out of love for us.  He knew the only way for us to attain eternal life was through His surrendering His life for our sins.  He gave His all for us.

·        As we enter into this week that we call the “Passion Week” please be mindful of what Jesus did for you.  Use this time to renew your resolve to follow Him, no matter the cost.  We are His sheep and we choose to follow and trust His leading in our lives.

 

Heavenly Father, please grant us the strength, courage and faith to follow You not matter the cost.  Help us to die to ourselves and live to Christ.