John 12:20–36 - Cameron Jungels - Eastside Baptist, Sunday AM, October 19, 2014

“Jesus, the Savior of All Peoples” (John 12:20–36)

^{Cameron Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sunday AM/October 19, 2014} 

John 12:20–36 (NIV)

²⁰ Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. ²¹ They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” ²² Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. ²³ Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. ²⁷ “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ²⁹ The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. ³⁰ Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. ³¹ Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. ³² And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” ³³ He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. ³⁴ The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” ³⁵ Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. ³⁶ Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

1.       For the purposes of redemption and to display his glory, God elected a man (Abraham) and his descendants to represent God’s kingdom on earth.

a.      The LORD had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you.  ² "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  ³ I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."  (Genesis 12:1-3, NIV)

 

2.      Through Abraham’s nation, God determined to send a redeemer to save his people from their sins.

a.      I speak the truth in Christ-- I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit--  ² I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.  ³ For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race,  ⁴ the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.  ⁵ Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.  (Romans 9:1-5, NIV)

 

3.      By God’s grace, this redeemed people of God includes not only the ethnic descendants of Abraham, but Jews and Gentiles who through faith are made heirs of God’s promises.

a.      Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival.  ²¹ They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus."  ²² Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.  ²³ Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  ²⁴ Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.  (John 12:20-24, NIV)

b.      And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."  ³³ He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. (John 12:32-33, NIV)

 

4.      Now, in this age, God is saving Jews and Gentiles (all peoples) by his grace and is making them into one new spiritual nation, to represent his kingdom on earth.

a.      ¹⁶ I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. (John 10:16, NIV)

b.      ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  ¹⁴ For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,  ¹⁵ by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,  ¹⁶ and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.  ¹⁷ He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.  ¹⁸ For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.  ¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household,  ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.  ²¹ In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.  ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.  (Eph. 2:13-22, NIV)

c.       ⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.  (1 Pet. 2:9-10, NIV)

d.      ²⁹ If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Gal. 3:29, NIV)''

 

Main Idea: Jesus, in fulfillment of Scripture and the purpose of God, came to save not only those of the chosen nation of Israel but peoples from all nations for the glory of God.

 

Implications and Applications:

Ø  As Gentiles who have been grafted in to the Abrahamic promise by faith, we should be moved to greater depths of gratitude for God’s grace.

Ø  In the gospel of Jesus Christ, all racial, ethnic, cultural, and language barriers are removed so as to create one new unity of diverse peoples.

Ø  The universal church is composed of peoples from every race, nation, and language on earth throughout time. We share a common unity in Christ.

Ø  The church in its local expression should to some degree manifest this diverse unity by including peoples from various races, ethnicities, social statuses, and genders.

o   ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  ²⁹ If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Gal. 3:28-29, NIV)

Ø  Every human being, regardless of class, race, ethnicity, language, culture, or gender is deserving of respect and dignity and love because they are made in the image of God and because the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ has been extended to them.

Ø  We should make every effort to fulfill Christ’s commission to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, so that God’s name might be glorified among all the peoples of the earth in fulfillment of Psalm 67.

o   May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us--  ² so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.  ³ May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you.  ⁴ May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth.  ⁵ May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you.  ⁶ The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us.  ⁷ May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. (Psalm 67:1-7, NIV)