This evening we're continuing with our Bible study in the book of John here, of course, if you remember from last week
We highlighted the death of Lazarus and his resurrection, of course
And we're kind of continuing with that theme here because of the fact that Lazarus becomes a great testimony unto the public
regarding this great miracle that Jesus accomplished and it actually it's one of the reasons why Jesus and
Lazarus both get a lot of persecution and they're seeking to put them to death and this is actually the chapter
Where we find the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ and really this is kind of a transitional chapter here in chapter 13
We will have the washing of the feet as well as the Last Supper and then chapter 14 15 16 and 17
Deal with Jesus like very his is his teaching towards the disciples
Regarding the fact that he's going to heaven. He's going to be
Constructing mansions for them. He talks about the Holy Spirit. He gives the prayer in John chapter 17 for his disciples
And then chapter 18 is actually when he gets arrested and betrayed and so these couple chapters here are great
Leading up to of course the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Let's start here verse number one
It says then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany where Lazarus was
Which had been dead whom he raised from the dead there
They made him a supper and Martha served but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him
then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard very costly and
Anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment
Now, of course we see here that the reason Mary is doing this is to prepare for his burial
It's a prepare for his death. She obviously understands the prophecy of Jesus Christ dying
And so she's doing this in preparation for that and here we're gonna find the true motive of Judas Iscariot, right?
Look what it says in verse number four. It says thus then sayeth one of his disciples
Judas Iscariot Simon's son which should betray him
Why was not this ointment sold for 300 pence and given to the poor this he said not that he cared for the poor
But because he was a thief and had the bag and bare what was put there in now this shows us
That the main reason Judas Iscariot even became a disciple of Jesus Christ
The reason he was even wanted to be counted as one of the twelve the reason he got involved in the ministry to begin with
Was because he was a covetous thief. He wanted to steal from the Treasury of the ministry
Don't listen to what the chosen says about Judas Iscariot, right?
And in fact go ahead and listen to what the chosen says about Judas Iscariot, and if you're an idiot
You're gonna believe it. Okay, if you like if you like spiritual soap operas
You would very much enjoy The Chosen because there's so much unbiblical teaching within that show. It's super nonsensical
It's Catholic mixed in with Mormonism and just a bunch of extra biblical
you know so-called revelation that never happened in the actual Bible itself and
One of them is this teaching that Judas Iscariot started off as a good guy that he joined the cause of Jesus Christ
with the best of intentions he believed in the vision that Jesus Christ put forth and
He really wanted to make a difference wrong
The Bible says he was a devil from the beginning
The Bible tells us that he believed not from the beginning that he was a devil and we see here in John chapter 12
That he was a thief meaning that the reason he's even with Jesus Christ is because he saw this as an
Opportunity to make money to make merchandise off of the flock of God and this is your quintessential
Profile of a false prophet, right?
Many false prophets have various reasons why they're false prophets. Obviously, we know that false prophets are reprobate and
They are, you know wicked individuals
But when you look at the profile in 2nd Peter chapter 2 you see that they various they have various motives
It ranges as far as why they are false prophets. Sometimes they like to just lead people straight doctrinally, right?
Sometimes they want to take advantage of the innocent or perverts sexual deviance
But there's other instances where they don't necessarily have those motives. The motive they have is covetousness
They want to make merchandise off of the flock of God. They're thieves. This is your this is your classic
You know prosperity gospel preacher. He's essentially your Judas Iscariot
Who's who views the ministry as an opportunity to make money?
Okay, and it's very wicked and obviously, you know
The ministry should fund those who are actually laboring in the word and doctrine those who are pastors
Evangelist deacons who are doing it full-time
Obviously, they've earned the right to earn a living doing those things
But here's the thing though is that no pastor deacon or evangelist is ever gonna become a millionaire doing those things, right?
And if you find some full-time Christian worker, you know making tons of money in the ministry
That should be a red flag to you that this person is probably in it not for the right reasons
They're not gonna necessarily they're not into the ministry because they want to teach the Word of God
But rather because they want to make money off of the ministry, right?
They view it as a way to funnel money into their pockets
And the problem with this is that you know
They're gonna end up teaching false doctrine in order to get that money because they're not necessarily doing it out of conviction, right?
They're not doing it because they actually believe this is what the Bible says
They will teach whatever the people want to hear whether they themselves believe it or not
Because of the fact that they view it as an opportunity to make money now, obviously that's one example
But then you just have other examples of people who get involved in the ministry. They're not necessarily lying in their preaching
They're not necessarily taking advantage quote unquote. They're not sexual deviants, but they're stealing from the offering plate, right?
They're pocketing the money
They are stealing from the house of God and folks it takes a special type of wicked person to do something like that
Right. I mean the thief is the thief is a thief, you know stealing
Robbing is extremely wicked. It's a sin in the Bible and
But here's the thing is it's a sin that's common to man, you know
Some people are just you know, they might be kleptomaniacs or whatever
They struggle with the sin of stealing obviously you should not be a thief
You know stealing from your job stealing from others is a extremely wicked sin
Thou shall not steal this is what the Bible teaches us
But let me just say this is that it's just a different level of iniquity
When a person like that comes into the house of God to steal right that's that takes a special kind of wicked person
And so we see this with Judas Iscariot
And you know Judas Iscariot obviously throughout these three and a half years has heard the gospel
He's heard the plan of salvation. He was with Jesus Christ, right?
I mean he's rubbing shoulders with the Lord. He's counted as one of the twelve in my opinion
He was supernaturally enabled by Jesus Christ to perform miracles because he's one of the Apostles
No one descriptions would indicate that he was not performing miracles and you know, obviously people differ on that
They think that that maybe he didn't perform miracles because he wasn't saved
But I just think it would be kind of weird for him to be in the ministry for three and a half years
Not perform a single miracle and no one take notice of it, you know
Like hey, you know, I want to talk to you about something, you know notice you heal that guy who was right there
Oh, you just let me do all the work. What's up with that? You know, you haven't done it for three years
I think he was actually able to perform miracles, you know
He was a false apostle, but he did all this literally with the intent to steal. He had no good intentions
There's no good motives. He didn't start off a good guy
That's all nonsensical hoopla that the chosen is putting forth because of the fact that they're false prophets as well
You know, they're greedy a filthy lucre and that's exactly who they are
And so obviously they're they're projecting their own persona into the character in Judas
You know, they're trying to sympathize with this false prophet because that's exactly who they are and folks anytime people sympathize with false prophets
Just mark it down. They're probably doing it because they're projecting who they really are into that person
Oh Judas got a lot of people say why are you what's with that argument?
Why are you making such a big deal about you know, whether Judas got people saved or not?
It's pretty obvious that the Bible teaches that unsafe people can't get people saved and this is not that sermon
I've preached many sermons on it in times past
But I'm just saying you know
there's a pattern here when pastors get up and they try to defend false prophets and
Try to justify their actions or excuse why they were the way they are or whatever, you know, obviously there's nothing good about Judas
It's scary. He's a devil and you know, he's he's saying oh man
Why was this not this ointment sold for 300 pence and given to the poor?
What an awkward statement to make in that setting right and it kind of shows you that false prophets
You know, they can't speak good things, right?
Good treasure comes out of a good heart evil treasure comes out of an evil heart out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speak
It and so this is the great thing about being a Christian is that you know what you say
You're not going to just blurt out some wicked
Heretical thing from your mouth because of the fact that you have the spirit of God dwelling within you
Whereas false prophets they can't help but do so obviously they might lie for a time
They might deceive for a time
But eventually the truth comes out and this is exactly what's taking place here. That must have been a very awkward conversation, right?
I mean, why would you condemn?
Mary for anointing the feet of your Savior Jesus Christ if he is your Savior, you know
I'm say, oh man, we should just stole this and give this to the poor and of course the narrator
Specifically explains to us that it's not that he cared for the poor because he doesn't he's doing it because he's a thief and when it
Says that he had the bag and bear what was put there in it's referring to the fact that he was the treasurer
Okay, he's the one who basically handled the finances, you know, I've been around people like this in different ministries where
literally people who are in full-time Christian service are
Stealing from the offering plate and I brought this to the attention of different leaders in times past where it's just like, you know
He's taking the money home with him, you know
Isn't that illegal, you know, and you know people are just characterized by this where they just go into the house of God
They take advantage of righteous people because righteous people are generous people
Righteous people are willing to give to a cause especially the cause of Christ, but all they're doing is pocketing the money
That's exactly what Judas is doing here verse number seven and obviously Jesus knows knows this by the way
You know, he obviously understands that the prophecy has to be fulfilled. He knows that Judas is scared is the son of perdition
He knows he's gonna be betrayed by him. He's prophesied of this back in John chapter 6
He's known that Judas was wasn't safe in the beginning. He's already known this he says in verse 7 then said Jesus let her alone
Against the day of my bearing has she kept us for the poor always ye have with you
But me you have not always now. This is a great principle here that he's saying, you know, obviously
He's not making this argument for Judas to say because he knows that Judas is a liar. He's a thief
He's a covetous person. But you know, he's kind of taking advantage of the situation to teach everyone else
Because obviously if Judas is saying this there might be some righteous disciple there who's like, oh, yeah, that's true
You know, we should probably should have sold this and give it to the poor because it's a righteous work to do
But so Jesus kind of takes advantage of this situation to teach them like hey poor people are always gonna be around
But you're not always gonna have the opportunity to anoint my feet with oil
Right and you know we can apply this to us today because of the fact if you think about it at the end of Jesus
Ministry, there are still prostitutes in the land. There are still people who are demon possessed. There are still people who are poor
There are still lepers in the land since they were bounded people were left crippled that didn't change, right?
And so we have to understand that, you know
If we have an opportunity to do good
We need to favor the house of God of the service of God first before everything else, right?
Let us do good into all men, especially they of the household of faith
Don't waste your life being charitable to other people before serving God and you know what at the end of the day
Being charitable to others being kind to others is not wrong
But according to the Bible we ought to always prioritize the house of God
We have to always prioritize the gospel and we always to always prioritize God's people
That's what the Bible says, right? Especially those of the household of faith. The Bible teaches us
Why because the poor we're always gonna have the poor with us
but an opportunity to serve Christ is not always gonna be there, right an opportunity to to
Anoint the feet of Jesus in a very symbolic manner is not always gonna be there
You know when we're gone, guess what? The poor still gonna be here
The the the crack addict off the freeway is still gonna be asking for money
The the gypsy is still gonna be there, you know that nothing that's not gonna change
But what we do for Christ will abide forever he that do what the will of God abided forever
And so we need to realize that and you know
We should never be
Hold-hearted or hard-hearted towards true poverty, right?
And you know if you find someone who is quote-unquote poor or they're asking for food
I think it's always a righteous thing to give them food
If that's if you have it, you know, I mean if there's an in we've had individuals obviously
I wouldn't necessarily consider them poor but my meter of as to whether they're really in need
I say well, you know, I don't silver and gold have I none but such as have I give ID, you know
We can go get you some lunch right now, but you have to listen to this gospel presentation
You know, we've done that before where I say like, you know, my assistant can get you some in-and-out cards
But you have to listen to what he has to say, you know
And then he'll give them the gospel get him saved and then we'll give them in-and-out card
You'll actually use it. I don't think that's a bad thing
but you know what I don't spend my life going to the food banks and
Try to feed the poor and whatnot because of the fact that I feel like my investment of my time talents and treasures
Can be better used in the how in the service of God because the poor we're always going to have with us and
Obviously this type of poverty doesn't really exist today in the United States of America
You know United States of America obviously caters to those who the world would consider to be poor
They're not necessarily poor. They're not crippled. They're able-bodied. They're just lazy, right?
And so the poor we're always gonna have but an opportunity to serve God is not always gonna be there
And you know
We should take this into account that we need to make sure that we're serving God with all our strength
With our times that we have talents that we have because we just don't know when we're gonna go
We just don't know when the opportunity is gonna flee from us and we're not gonna be able to do so
Look at verse number 9 much people of the Jews therefore
Knew that he was there and it came not for Jesus sake only but that they might see Lazarus also whom he had raised
From the dead but the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death because that by reason of him
many of the Jews went away and believed on
Jesus on the next day much people that were come to the feast when they had heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem
Let me take a break there
So we see here that a lot of people are coming to the house of Mary and Martha
Not only because they want to see Jesus, but they actually want to see the Lazarus as well
right, so we see here that Lazarus has someone become a famous individual within this particular region because of the
Miracle that Jesus performed on his life, right?
But you know it came with some opposition though
So as much as people wanted to see him they wanted to be around him
It also came with persecution because now the Jews want to put him to death as well. Why because he's obviously
Motivating people to believe on Jesus Christ
It's through the miracle that people are placing their faith on the Lord. They're open to the Word of God
And this should be a lesson to you and a lesson to me that if God uses us
To do a great work to get people saved guess what it comes with opposition as well
Right a great and effectual door is open unto me
And there are many adversaries yay all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution
But here's the thing folks is that we are
selected by God to show forth the praises of him with called us out of darkness into his marvelous light and just as
Lazarus was called out of the darkness of the tomb into the marvelous light and people are getting saved now the persecution is on him as
Well, right and so we just have to realize that if we ever want to be put quote-unquote in the spotlight of God's service
Because we're doing big things for God just understand it comes with opposition
It comes with tribulation it comes with persecution
It comes with trial and it may not even come with persecution from without you might just be faced with trials
Just in general you have a target on your back because Satan does not like the fact that God is using you, right?
And so Lazarus is being used of God and now Lazarus is being persecuted just as Jesus is being persecuted
Because if they call the master of the house be else above how much more shall they call day of his household, right?
the mass the disciples not above his master the Bible tells us and so just understand that
If you live a godly life people are not gonna like you just like they didn't like Jesus
Don't be fooled by the internet to think that if you live a godly life
Everyone's gonna get along with you. Everyone's gonna agree with you. Everyone's gonna be on board with you
You're always gonna have a segment of the population that does not like what you have to say. They don't like you
They don't like your beliefs
They want to stop you just gonna happen and even if that's not the case where the public is doing that you might have people in
Your immediate surroundings that are not gonna like it your family your spouse your children your friends your neighbors
Life is just filled with opposition
When you live a life that's pleasing unto God, right?
And so, you know, it's great the Lazarus was raised from the dead
But now you know you got people who want to put him back in the tomb
He was called out of the tomb, but now the Jews want to put him back in right because through him
Many people have believed on the Lord and I think I think I'm looking at a crowd of people
Who were quickened, you know, right who were dead in their trespasses in sin who were resurrected, right?
Who God called out from the tomb they were dead in their trespasses in sin. They were quickened together with Christ
They were brought back to life. And you know what? Maybe your family didn't really like that
You know
Maybe they didn't like the fact that God is working in your life that now you're somewhat of a different person
You have different priorities you make church a priority
You make biblical convictions a priority and it creates a lot of friction within our relationships
That's a that's a fact and all of us know that to a certain degree
And if you don't know that you will know that soon you will that is the fact and look sometimes people get saved
They're like Lazarus. They're brought out of the grave and you know what their families brought out of the grave, too
They're wives their husbands their children and then they're just like man
I don't know what you're talking about pastor because you know everyone who I care about is right here front and center with me
Well, that just means that other people are not gonna like what you have to say
You might have extended family who don't like what you have to say the public may not like what you have to say the people
Your job may not like what you have to say the neighbors that you have may not like what you're gonna face some form of opposition
That's just the bottom line because Lazarus always faces position
opposition for being called out of the grave and so Lazarus is a picture of the believer who essentially got saved and
Through us the Lazarus people are coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ
Therefore the Jews take notice of that. They don't like it. They want to plot against you. Look at verse 13
It says or verse 12 on the next day much people that were come to the feast when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem
Took branches of palm trees and went forth to meet him and cried hosanna
Blessed is the king of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord and Jesus when he had found a young ass
Sat there on as it is written fear not daughter of Zion behold the king cometh sitting on an ass this colt now
Define irony. Okay. This is a great thing, right? This is what people will commonly refer to as the triumphal entry
He's coming on a young ass fulfilling zechariah chapter 9 in verse number 9
prophetically referring to the king that's coming lowly
humbly
And the people who admire jesus christ, at least they like the miracles that he's performing. They're taking branches
They're putting them forth. They're crying hosanna, which means save now
It's essentially expression of exaltation, but these are the same people that are going to say crucify him, right?
Which is crazy if you think about it
So one minute they're just like hosanna and the next minute they're like crucify him and this shows you how fickle people really are
Okay, you know don't allow the acclamations of the world
To get to you because you just don't know because at one moment they could be saying hosanna
The next moment they're just like kill them, right? That's just that's just how it works
I mean, they're praising jesus now. Why are they doing this? Well, obviously they
Understand the passage of zechariah 9 verse 9
But you have to understand something about the children of israel during this particular time
They're not really thinking about a spiritual kingdom. Jesus christ is only interested at this point of putting forth a spiritual kingdom
the kingdom of god
Through the message of salvation
He is interested in the souls of men, right the physical kingdom
He's going to take care of that later on but the jews want a physical kingdom now
And when I say now i'm talking about during this particular era and so when they see jesus christ performing these miracles
He is showing up the pharisees
They're obviously under the roman empire
They think that he's going to establish that physical kingdom at that particular moment and in their minds they equate that to
Usurping the authority of the romans
Establishing themselves as a nation once again
Having a king once again to rule over them and essentially having that physical kingdom
So this is why they're doing this
So, you know
Although there's probably a small remnant of the recipients of this message who are actually getting saved
The vast majority of these jews are not getting saved. They just want to see this as a physical kingdom
They want a ruler. They're tired of caesar. They're tired of the roman empire
They want the fulfillment of zechariah 99 to be a literal fulfillment of a literal kingdom. That's what they want. Okay
Now, you know, obviously we see this and we're like, yeah save now because jesus christ is the savior
He is the messiah
But this is an indication he's doing this because of the fact that when he came the first time he is coming lowly
And humbly and meekly
Why because of the fact that he's coming to bring salvation to the lost, right?
He wants people to come to the saving knowledge of jesus christ. He wants people to be saved
He wants souls to be saved. This is why he's doing this and you know
He came the first time on an ass lowly
But you know when he comes at the very end in end times bible prophecy, he's going to come on a white horse
You see an ass is a lowly animal, right?
It's a humble animal a horse is is an animal of of warfare and when he comes in revelation 19
Which is actually the third coming he's going to come on a white horse and he's coming to make war. Okay
He's not coming lowly and humbly. He's coming to kill
He's coming to destroy people. He's coming to poor wrath
He's coming to take out the antichrist the false prophet and his armies and he's coming to rule with a rod of iron
Whereas in this particular instance, he's not ruling with a rod of iron
And in fact, he's going to say later on i'm not coming to judge either
Obviously what he's trying to do here is just bring salvation
Save people that is his primary
Intention here. So people are saying hosanna, which means save now, but you know people are just fickled
And you know, i've kind of i've learned this especially being on social media that you know people are really quick to throw out
admirations and love in the comment section and in dms, but i'm just like
These kisses are deceitful, you know what I mean? Like i'm not going to let this, you know, um
Give me a puffed up ego
Or become prideful because people say they love me and they love me so much and they're praying for me
You're just a bass. I'm just like bro. You probably you probably tell people to crucify me like next week
Let's just be honest, you know, because that's exactly how people are
And so, you know, this is what I would consider to be a form of flattery to a certain degree
And obviously jesus christ as he said in the beginning of the book of john
He's not committing himself to any man because he knows what is in man
So even when he's doing this he's doing this to fulfill by he's doing this to fulfill the old testament prophecies of himself
But he's not he's not allowing that to convince him that these people are not going to you know
He obviously understands that these are the same people that are going to be the reason why he gets crucified in the end
Looking verse 16 these things understood not his disciples at the first but when jesus was glorified
Then remembered they that these things were written of him and that they had done these things unto him
People therefore that was with him when he called lazarus out of the grave and raised him from the dead
Bare record so, you know, you'll see this often where the disciples just didn't understand certain things and it kind of shows you that
You know sometimes christians just don't know the bible, you know
I mean, they're with the bible. They're with jesus who's the word of god made flesh and they still don't get it
You know, so that kind of shows you we need to be patient with people if they don't get biblical concepts
They might be in a fundamental baptist church new ify church and don't be that person who's just like well
They should know this though. Yeah. Well, the disciples should have known it too. I mean they're with him. They're with jesus
They're seeing it being fulfilled in in 4k right there
And yet they're just like they didn't even know until after he was glorified and they're like, oh, yeah
You know, I was wondering about that just like bro, you're one of the 12 disciples. You didn't know that but folks
This is just the nature of a christian, you know, sometimes they just don't know certain scriptural things
We need to be patient with people
This is why the bible says that when we preach to them
We should do it with long suffering and doctrine because not everyone's at the same spiritual level
We need to be patient with people and teach them and not expect for them to know genesis to revelation
And by the way, you need to be patient with people as well
You know when people come to this church and they're brand new visitors and you know, they're learning a particular concept
Don't be shocked that they didn't know a concept that you just knew right off the bat. Okay. Don't be like what?
How could they not know that? Uh, probably because they just never learned it
Not everyone is at the same spiritual aptitude as everyone here. Not everyone has the same knowledge people have to learn
And quite frankly, let's say they did learn it in time past you could forget as well
And so, you know be patient with people look at verse 18
For this cause the people also met him for that they heard that he had done this miracle
The pharisees therefore said among themselves perceive ye how ye prevailed nothing behold the world is gone after
Him now, why are they saying this because they're envious
See over and over again
We see that the pharisees wanted to persecute jesus not because they believe him to be a false prophet
But because they were envious at the attention that he was getting from the public
The people who were once following them are no longer following them. They're following jesus
They're listening to jesus christ. They're not esteeming the pharisees because they suck as spiritual leaders
They prefer the preaching of jesus christ because he his preaching is better. He's performed the miracles his preaching is great
No, man ever spake like this and so they're just like man. Do you see how the world has gone after him?
Look at all the people are listening to him. They're not listening to us anymore and this envy
carried over into the book of acts because even after jesus christ ascended the disciples are preaching and the
Jews out of envy persecuted them right because they don't like the fact that
Their subscribers are going down and the subscribers of the disciples are going up their followers are going down
Well, the followers are going up on this end. They're just like, oh, you know, all they talk about is jesus
All they talk about is the gospel, you know, why are they only talking about this?
But it's just like why don't you talk about it? I'm not gonna chase this rabbit. I have to save that for steadfast
I'm preaching to steadfast
But you see he's like perceiving how you prevail nothing behold the world has gone after him
What a powerful statement basically is like everyone wants to hear them. They don't want to hear us anymore
You know, and so well, why don't you preach like jesus? Why don't you believe like jesus?
Why don't you believe on jesus?
Maybe why don't you become a lazarus and maybe people want to hear what you have to say verse 20
And there were certain greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast
The same came therefore to philip which was at bethsaida of galilee and desired him saying sir
We would see jesus philip cometh and telleth andrew and again andrew and philip tell jesus
And jesus answered them saying the hour is come that the son of man should be glorified
So I think what's going on here is that?
Obviously the fame of jesus christ is spreading throughout jerusalem. It's spreading throughout judaea
but now it seems to be going outside of the boundaries of
jerusalem of israel and now it's coming into the ears of what the bible would consider to be gentiles greeks
Those who are not necessarily part of the religion of the old covenant those who aren't adherence to judaism
Or the religion of the fairs. He's the religion of the jews. So it's coming into their into their ears
And now they are being attracted to the truth, right which is obviously god's intent
So the lord perceives this and he's basically saying okay now the hour has come now if you remember in previous chapters
Whenever they wanted to take jesus whenever they wanted to kill jesus
He would hide himself and he said he would say what the hour has not yet come, right?
He would say the hour has not yet come and what he's referring to is the hour of his death
He's like the hour's not yet come. It's not time for this. There's still more work to do
But now because he sees that the message is going beyond the boundaries of israel into the ears of the greeks
Now he's realizing. Okay. Now we're nearing the time
Where basically he is going to die because obviously at the resurrection
He commissions his disciples to go into all the world
Whereas during his ministry, what was he telling him go to the law sheep of the house of israel, right?
Go not into the way of the samaritans to the jews first and also to the greek
Well, if you're going to go to the greek, it's an indication that the time the hour of his death is near
Where he's going to be crucified and he will draw all men unto him including the greeks including the gentiles so forth
So it's essentially showing that the the message is permeating. It's going outside of the boundaries of israel
It's reaching the ears of the gentiles. So this is somewhat of a marker for him to realize. Okay
It's it's probably time for me to prepare to die. He says in verse 20 and there are uh verse
Where are we at here verse 24 verse 23 and jesus answered them saying the hour has come
That the son of man should be glorified barely barely I say to you
Except the corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone
But if it die it bringeth forth much fruit
So what is the much fruit in the context? The much fruit is the greeks the gentiles because there's only so much fruit in israel
There's only so many jews that are going to believe in israel, right?
There's only so much that he's going to be they're going to be able to do in israel because there's going to come a time
Where isra is just no longer?
Receptive to the gospel. I don't want to hear it anymore, right?
And so jesus is basically asserting that in order to gain much fruit
They have to fulfill bible prophecy of the old testament such as isaiah
That states you have to reach out into the gentiles to produce that much fruit
But in order to do that, he has to be like the corn of wheat that falls to the ground and dies
referring to his crucifixion
And obviously the spiritual principle there is that if we are going to produce any form of fruit in our lives
Something has to go, you know
There has to be some form of sacrifice there that we have to be willing to make in order to produce fruit
And obviously there's there's extremes to this we could say
This might be referring to the persecution of our bodies the persecution of our church that will produce fruit
But in some instances just like the sacrifice of your time sacrifice of your time your talents and treasures in order to produce
Much fruit you get into it what you you get out of it what you put into it in other words, right?
So if you're going to produce much fruit in your personal life, something has to go you're going to be a godly person
Something has to be subtracted from your life as well as added
Okay, if you are going to be a great christian you have you know certain characteristics from your life have to go
Things that are not pleasing you have to be a good repenter of sin
And you know the christian life in that regard is uncomfortable because we all come into the christian life with certain foreign ideologies
that contradict the bible feminism, you know
worldly philosophies like
feminism
Another one would be like, I don't know
feminism or something and then there's there's also feminism, you know, those are things that have to be
Surgically removed if you want to be a godly wife if you want to be a godly woman, right?
but also, you know when it comes to the men there is the false ideology of
feminism because guess what women aren't the only ones who are guilty of being feminists is sometimes the main culpers are men a bunch of
Pussyfooters who are super weak in their leadership. They've just been raised by feminists, you know, they watch feminists. They listen to feminists
They embrace feminism. They promote feminism, you know, they're just they're just punks
There's wimps and if they want to be godly men, they have to sacrifice that ideology in order to please the Lord
You say what if they don't then they remain an unfruitful Christian and we can apply this all across the board
But in the day and age in which we live, I would say feminism is a major problem within churches
It's a huge problem. It's it's the cause for a lot of turmoil within marriages
It's the cause within a lot of turmoil within children
You know, it's it's the reason why weak leadership exists out there is because of feminism because men are just afraid
Pastors are just afraid to stand up to the women in their church, you know, and so
We need to make sure that you know, some things just have to go my friends. Some things just have to go false ideologies
Bad habits have to go if you're going to be a godly christian
You have to be willing to be corrected
You have to be willing to repent of sin to get rid of habits to get rid of bad
worldly
Ideologies that are destructive to your christian life
The corner wheat has to fall to the ground and die and quite frankly the christian life is characterized by dying daily
That's what the apostle paul said
Crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts
You know, I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of god that you present your bodies a living sacrifice
Meaning that you you just have to die daily
You have to mortify the members of the body
You have to continuously die to self and get rid of things that are anti-bible in order to produce
Actual fruit in your christian life and it's uncomfortable for sure, you know, it's it's not the most pleasant thing
But you know, it yields pleasant results though. He says in verse 25
He that loveth his life shall lose it. He that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life
Eternal in other words, if you're the type of person that wants to preserve yourself in exchange for
Living a godly life you're going to end up losing that what you want to preserve anybody anyways
If you want to preserve your pleasures
Your fun your finances your health, you know at the exclusion of actually serving god
You're going to end up losing those things as a christian anyways, whereas if you prioritize the things of god first
Over your pleasures over your desires over your wants over your goals
If you seek first the kingdom of god, these things shall be added unto you
So it's this formula that the bible has for us
That god is trying to motivate us to prioritize spiritual things above everything else
And I don't think this is telling us that we should necessarily hate our own lives
There's there's you know, obviously jesus christ said that if you if you don't hate your life
You can't be a disciple
But obviously he's using hyperbole because no man ever yet hated his own flesh
But nourished it and cherished it the idea here is that we need to prioritize
god's
You know priorities first spiritual things first
We need to set our affections on things above none of the things of this earth
If you live a selfish life, not only are you going to lose the things that you love
But you're not going to yield the fruit that you could have yielded if you actually serve god and sought after
righteous things
Okay
And in its most literal sense jesus is saying like in order for the greeks to be reached on mass
In order for the gentiles to be reached on mass. I have to die. Okay, he says in verse 26
If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be if any man serve me
Him will my father honor
And what he's saying here is that obviously, you know if we're seeking to save our lives
Then we're going to lose it
But if we're if we're willing to lose our life, then we'll save it and that can be a scary thing too
You know to kind of put yourself out there where you're like in physical danger
You know for the gospel for the word of god that you're being that's being preached
But then he follows up with the promise that if we follow him, he's going to be there with us, right?
So yeah, it's a scary thing to kind of put yourself out there to to preach the word of god or to stand for righteous truths
but in order to ease that anxiety or that fear that might
You know come up because of that. He says hey follow me and where I am
There's there my servant shall be as well
All right, the presence of god will be with us and god will honor us for it verse 27 says now is my soul troubled
And what shall I say father saved me from this hour, but for this cost came I unto this hour
So, you know obviously jesus christ feels a sense of you know
Troubling in his spirit. He has a sense of we don't know exactly how to describe it where it's anxiousness
He knows that he's about to bear the sins of the whole world
And you know, it's one of these things where it's you know, if this cup can pass from me
Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done. So this is the humanity of jesus christ speaking unto the father saying
You know save me from this hour
But he understands this is the reason i'm here is to die for the sins of the world
Verse 28 says father glorify thy name then came there a voice from heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorify it again
People therefore that stood by and heard it said that it thundered others said an angel spake to him
Jesus answered and said this voice came not because of me but for your sake
So we see the testification of the father that jesus christ will be glorified through death. That's what it's referring to
He says now is the judgment of this world now shall the prince of this world be cast out
And I believe what this is referring to is essentially the defeat of satan through the death of jesus christ, right?
Obviously we can say that satan was defeated long ago when pronouncement was given
In the garden of eden or outside of the garden of eden should we say?
When the prophecy was given of jesus christ that he was going to be born
That you know, uh, he was going to tread on the serpent's head
But this is essentially when it takes place, right?
When jesus christ is crucified on the cross, he essentially
Solidifies the defeat once and for all and in fact the bible says in colossians 2 14 blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
That was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way
Nailing it to his cross referring to the crucifixion and having spoiled
Principalities and powers referring to those spiritual principalities and powers. He made a show of them openly
Triumphing over them in it referring to the fact that he essentially defeated death defeated satan
Through his death through his crucifixion it goes on to say in verse 32
And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me
This he said signifying what death he should die the people answered him
We have heard out of the law that christ abideth forever
And how sayest thou the son of man must be lifted up who is the son of man?
So this is kind of showing you showing us that the people who are listening to this they're like
Whoa, what how does this even relate to the kingdom though?
You know, the law says that christ abideth forever. Like what do you mean you're gonna die? You're not supposed to die
You know who want you to rule and reign who want you to take over the christ abideth forever and it's true
The christ does abide forever
But they're obviously not taking this into account that in order for him to fulfill all these bible prophecies
He does have to die because the most important thing is not the physical kingdom. It's salvation. It's the spiritual kingdom
It's the spiritual kingdom that comes through salvation, right?
The kingdom of god is within you he says the verse 35 then jesus said into them get a little while and the light is
With you walk while you have the light let darkness come upon you
For he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whether he goeth while you have light believe in the light that he might be
The children of light these things spake jesus and departed and did hide himself from them now
That is very that's very powerful statement
Is it not because he's referring to the fact that the people are listening to him
They're not believing on the light and the light's right there and he's saying here
You know believe in the light while you have the light that you may be children of light that you may be saved
And then what does he do he departs and he hides himself, right?
So this is kind of figurative of what we're going to look at later on in john chapter 12 the doctrine of reprobation
Because folks think about it. The light is right there
I mean they're looking at the light and if they're unwilling to believe in the message of salvation when
Salvation incarnate is right there. Well, then what is jesus going to do? He's going to hide himself
He's not going to make himself found of them anymore, right?
He's going to essentially give them permanent darkness is what it's referring to and this is why it says in verse 37
But though he had done so many miracles before them
Yet they believe not on him now this kind of goes to show you that you know miracles doesn't convert anybody
They can but in general they kind of don't oh, you know perform a miracle will believe well
They they saw three and a half years worth of miracles and they still didn't believe on the lord
And one of the most powerful miracles was just performed the resurrection of a dead guy. I mean, you know water to wine
multiplying the fish and the bread
Resurrecting the dead from the grave. Dang like if that didn't convince
I mean, what what do you need?
But folks at the end of the day the people who believe the miracles are the same people who believe just the message itself
They would have believed that they only had the message the miracles are just the icing on top
These are people who are already looking for the truth
But if they don't believe the miracles, they're not going to believe the message either
And if they're not believing the message, they're not going to believe the miracles
So he did so many miracles yet in spite of these miracles. They still didn't believe in him
Now why is that he says in verse 38 that the saying of isaias the prophet might be fulfilled which he spake lord
Who have believed our report and to whom had the arm of the lord been revealed?
Therefore they could not believe because of that isaias said again
He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart
And be converted and I should heal them these things said isaias when he saw his glory and spake of him now
This is actually a quotation from isaiah chapter six when isaiah sees the vision of the lord
And his heavenly host the heavily trained that he sees in heaven with the seraphims
And this is the famous passage where they're like who will go for us?
And isaiah says here am I send me and you know, i've always thought it was funny
That in the old ife churches, this is often used to like, uh,
As a missionary type of a phrase, right?
They're like, you know, oh man if you're called to the mission field be like isaiah here am I they even have a song
It's a great song by the way. I love the song. I think it's a great song
But it's based off of isaiah six because you know isaiah says here am I send me and the song goes here am I?
I will go
I will reach the lost untold
I will give the lord control
I will tell them of the crimson flow
It's a beautiful song
But the thing is isaiah six actually has to do with like isaiah being sent forth to reprobate the people
That's the funny thing about it. It's a beautiful song
But when you actually take it as you know, like when I when I when I understood the reprobate doctrine and then I read isaiah six
The song became beautiful. Then it just became based. Oh, this is a beautiful song of reaching the laws
But I was like dang this is based actually like who's gonna reprobate these people here in my
I will go, you know, you're just like lord here. My lord sent me because that's what it's actually about
Isaiah said who has believed our report to whom had the arm of the Lord been revealed and the answer is to Israel
And then he says therefore
Because they didn't believe the report in spite of the fact that the arm of the Lord was revealed
Okay, what is the result? God blinded their eyes and you can compare this to
I believe it's Matthew chapter 12. I might be wrong on that where uh, you know, the same wording is being used
But the difference is is that the bible tells us that they have closed their eyes
They shut their ears that they should not hear and be converted
So that's where we see the actual chronology of how someone becomes a reprobate
God doesn't select someone to become a reprobate just because you know, you know out of his whim
It's because they initially
Close their eyes and their ears to the truth, right? They're right there. They saw the miracle
Jesus is right there
Lazarus just came back from the grave. I just ate some of that fish and that bread
I drank some of that wine. They tasted of the heavenly gift
They were made partakers of the holy ghost and they're just like I don't believe
So then what does the bible say then?
God says okay then i'm going to permanently close your eyes permanent close your ears so that you'll never get saved
And you know people they get offended at that like how can a loving god?
How can you say a loving god would just prevent someone from ever being safe? It's just like hello
How can that stupid idiot not want to be saved like?
God is only doing for them what they want to be done, which is they don't want to believe right?
So it's just like they're already leaving. He's just kind of like giving them the boot and locking the doors
What if they want to they don't want to come back they came they saw the door
They saw what was available. They don't want to go and so god says, okay
Then you'll just be permanently locked out because you don't you don't want to be here anyways
What's the issue with locking the door if they don't want to be here anyways, right?
And this is what people don't seem to understand regarding the reprobate doctrine people take such offense to this
Mainly because they like fags and stuff
But this applies to just anybody who rejects the truth because in this particular group of people
We're not dealing with fags here, but we are dealing with reprobates
Right and this applies to people who just hate the truth
But what if they want to come back folks if they it's not that they don't
The thing with the reprobate that people don't understand is that they have the same understanding of the truth as we do
It's the same understanding. There's nothing else to learn. They've been taught everything. They know it. That's the problem
So it's not like oh man
What if they just didn't have a good understanding of it?
No, no
The reason they're reprobates because they did have a good understanding when it says that they tasted of the heavenly gift
They were made partakers of the holy ghost. They're essentially on the border of the truth
They see it and they still rejected it and we've all been at the border. The difference is we crossed over
That's how it works when you're when you are given the message of salvation
You may not remember how exactly it all turned out but there's a particular time when you heard the gospel
You understood it and you're like I want to place my faith in jesus christ lord save me because you're compelled by the message
The holy spirit was working in you reeling you in right like you understand salvation is a free gift
You get the forgiveness of sins and you understood everything you're like I want it
So now picture that and picture someone saying I get it. I don't want it
I mean what so why are you getting mad at god for closing that door that they themselves closed first
See, this is how we could explain it. Really. This is how reparation works
It's a person closing the door, but it's god blocking it, right?
So it's because the door was open for them
They can walk in but they they slammed the door and so god says, okay locked and look
Let me just tell you right now reparates are not offended at that at all because they hate the lord
Christians are more offended at it than reprobates are this is like dude like the guy doesn't want to come in
The only reason they're out there is because they chose to be out there
And god is simply assisting them in their resistance against the truth. That's all it is
And look john 12 is one of the most powerful passages of scripture to substantiate the doctrine of reprobation
Because it literally says there he hath blinded their eyes
Verse 40 harden their heart that they should not see with their eyes
Nor understand with their heart and be converted and I should heal them
So he's literally saying like god's the one who did it so that they wouldn't it's a punishment
And so, you know and obviously the case with isaiah is a very unique case
God's not looking for preachers to reprobate people, you know, it's a very unique case because he's just saying but you know
What when we go out there and preach the gospel we're preaching the light
I'm sure there's a there's a person who's made reprobate because of our efforts
You know where god sent us to someone to give them the gospel and that was their last chance
You know, he sent a really thorough soul winner to go over the scriptures with them and they just rejected it
We you just never know that might have been their last chance to get saved
So this is not oh, okay. Will you just reprobate people? I don't have that power
I don't have the ability to just remove someone's moral compass. I just preach the word of god and you know
What it's like a seed that just goes there and it either falls on
good ears where it germinates creates faith and they get saved or
It's falling on thorns and thistles the word of god is it has watered it and they rejected it
And nothing's going to come out of that because that person has rejected the truth
That's how it works. You know, thank god for the revered doctrine
I do thank god for it because of the fact that it gives me a sense of urgency to go and preach the gospel to others
But it helps me to kind of realize why people are the way they are
You're not like wondering like wow
I wonder why they just kind of just hate god a lot. I know
Like the bio is pretty clear on that
And so I don't believe that the entire nation of israel at this point is just like every individual within israel's reprobate
But the vast majority of them are though because god closed their eyes
He says in verse 42 nevertheless among the chief rulers
By the way, this is proof right here among the chief rulers also many believed on him because of the pharisees
They did not confess them unless they should be put out of the synagogue for they love the praise of men more than the praise of god
So even within the spiritual leaders, there's people who did believe in the lord jesus christ
But there are little weenies about it. They don't want to say it publicly because you know
They love the praise of men more than the praise of god
So when it says they didn't confess them this doesn't mean
That they believed and they didn't call upon the name of the lord as some idiots out there like to you know propose
Oh, they didn't convert they didn't call upon the name of the lord
No, it actually clarifies in verse 43 that when it says confess
It means that they didn't publicly tell anybody else that they had believed on the lord
Why because they love the praise of men more than the praise of god
So they're afraid of being ostracized from their groups or whatever
For believing on jesus christ jesus cried and said he that believeth on me
Believeth not on me, but on him that sent me and he that seeth me seeth him that sent me
I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness
And if any man hear my words and believe not
I judge him not for I came not to judge the world but to save the world now
Don't misunderstand what jesus is saying here when he says I came out to judge the world
This is not like your hippie jesus
Don't judge anybody
Judge not lest you be judged not the right quotation
This is not saying that jesus because literally we have entire passages where jesus is teaching us to judge people
Okay
What he's stating here is that he didn't come in the first century ad to condemn the world
Why because the world was already condemned. They're all have sin and come short of the glory of god
What was jesus mission when he came to seek him to save that which is lost
That's why he said I came not to judge the world but to save the world and then he says in verse 48
He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words
Have one that judges him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day
Now what is this referring to specifically?
Well, I believe that it's actually referring to the white throne judgment because the word that he's speaking is the bible, right?
And when you look at revelation chapter 20 and the dead are being judged at the white throne two books are open
You have the lamb's book of life where all the names are written
And then you have the books and the books I believe to be referring to the 66 books of the bible
Which would include the words that he has spoken this shall judge him in the last day
So when you know the damned are brought up out of the graves out of the oceans to be judged of god
They're not being judged to see if they're good outweighs. They're bad, you know, I mean, there's not a balanced scale
Everyone's left wanting on judgment day the judge the why throw in judgment is just to kind of read them their final condemnation
Like here's the thing. You're not on the list. So they go through the book of life and they look okay
Let's see here. Joel's theme. Sorry not here ray comfort ray comfort ray. Nope. No ray comfort here, right?
They just go through all the false prophets or whatever, you know
Uh, ryan gallagher. Hey, you changed your last name. That's kind of weird. We just don't know who you are
You know what I mean? You're not there
Okay, so they see they confirm that you're not in the book of life
Which is an indication that you never believed you never placed your faith in jesus christ
this is why this this this argument of like oh people go to hell because
It's just because they don't believe in jesus christ and other people like no they go to hell to pay for that
They go to hell for both as known about the fact that you have both books
One is to confirm. Oh, you never believed on jesus christ, which is why you're not in the lamb's book of life
Okay, so now that you're not on the list, let's look at the books
Let's see everything you're guilty of because that's what's going to judge you in the last days
So then they go through that and they're just like, all right
Well, we have a suite for you in the lowest hell because you damned a lot of people to hell with your false gospel
and so
Your uh, your your bunk buddy is going to judas iscariot. Okay, i'm being facetious, but i'm sure there's some truth to that
Point that i'm making is that he's saying i'm not going to judge you my words will judge you in the last days
The word of god will judge you in the last days
That's why it's so stupid. We got to keep god's commands to be saved god's commands are going to judge you in the last days
My boy verse 49 for I have not spoken of myself, but the father which has sent me
He gave me a commandment what I should say what I should speak and I know that his commandment is life everlasting
whatsoever I speak therefore even as the father said unto me, so I speak so we see here
that the lord jesus christ is essentially
solidifying his judgment on israel as a people as noted by the fact that the greeks are coming to hear him
Because the jews are closed to the gospel. That's why he's closing their ears closing their eyes closing their heart
Because they they just rejected it and here's the the this is the straw that breaks the camel's back is the crucifixion
How do you know they're close to the gospel because they crucified?
Jesus that's basically like if you're killing the one who's coming to save you
You know, that's kind of shows that you're just really close to the gospel, you know, that's just it
You know, I don't know how much the boy I can say about that brother. We all crucify. I know we didn't all crucify him
That's such a stupid statement. Obviously he came to die for the sins of the whole world, but I'm not over here 2,000 years later
Rejoicing saying that he deserved to be crucified. He was a wicked person and a criminal. He is a troublemaker or whatever
That's different that is majorly different. And so let's pray father. We thank you so much for your word
thank you for John chapter 12 and the sobering reminder of
the fact that you can close the ears and eyes of unbelievers who perpetually reject the truth and
Lord may it motivate us to continue to go out and
priest the gospel to the lost and compel them persuade them to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and
So that they can avoid this destiny of destruction and misery Lord
I pray father God that you'd move in the hearts of the people this week as we go out and preach to them and
Lord, I pray father God that you give us a great weekend. We love you. We thank you. Pray this things in Jesus name. Amen