Sermon Notes - John 12:20-36 - Littleby Baptist Church - July 23, 2023

1.     Things are not always what they seem.

a.      So far in this chapter the Pharisees thought their plans were failing.

b.     They thought the crowds believed in Jesus and that they would not be to arrest Him, let alone have Him killed.

c.      With the disciples it looked like Judas was a faithful friend and follower.

d.     John’s letter won’t relay the truth of how these events play out for a bit, but we know what happens.

e.      We know that the Pharisees get their way.

f.      Jesus is handed over to the Romans.

g.     He is beaten and then crucified on the cross.

h.     We know that Judas is the one who betrays Jesus with a kiss for 30 pieces of silver.

2.     Things are not always what they seem.

a.      This is the same in our own lives.

b.     We have been told that things are true, that are not and vice versa.

c.      We may be questioning why something is not playing out the way we think it should.

d.     Lots of things may seem like we are defeated or on the flip side that something maybe good.

e.      Ultimately we need to compare it to the Word of God.

f.      What the world says is good, does not always match up with God’s Word.

g.     When uncertainty hits, we are to look to our Jesus.

3.     When we last saw Jesus in the Gospel of John, He was riding into Jerusalem being celebrated.

a.      Let’s see what John has for us today.

4.     John 12:20-22

a.      Not just Jewish people there to celebrate the Passover, there were also Greeks and gentiles.

b.     They approached Philip in hope of talking to Jesus.

5.     John 12:23

a.      The time is coming, Jesus is going to be glorified.

b.     What we know about how the events play out, it can be hard to see the beating and crucifixion as steps leading to our Lord’s glorification.

c.      But it is His death for the sins of others that changes the world.

d.     Isaiah 53:10-12

e.      Jesus will die willingly.

f.      In the end He will receive the many as a portion.

g.     Through His sacrifice He is glorified.

6.     John 12:24

a.      A kernel of wheat dying leads to a harvest.

b.     This is one of those times you cannot trust Google.

                                                    i.     I googled how many seeds were in a kernel of wheat.

                                                  ii.     Some sites stated 1 and I saw counts as high as 20.

c.      Regardless of the seed count, Jesus is laying the groundwork for what He is going to say.

d.     The seed must die for the next stage of life.

e.      A seed needs to be planted for the future harvest.

f.      In the case of seeds and our Lord Jesus, death leads to new life.

7.     John 12:25

a.      The one who loves his life… I like the life that God has given me.

b.     Does that mean I am going to lose it?

c.      No, that is not what Jesus means here.

d.     The one who loves his life… is one who loves the things of the world.

e.      One who is focused on the ‘things’ around him or what makes him happy.

f.      That person, will ultimately end up where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

g.     Embracing the world instead of turning to Jesus results in losing one’s life.

h.     The one who hates his life… does not mean we have to hate our lives.

i.       God has blessed us in many ways, and we are to enjoy those blessings and share them with others.

j.       One of the key parts here is the ‘in this world’.

k.     One who hates the sin in their own life.

l.       One who hates the sin in the world around them.

m.   2 Corinthians 5:14-15

n.     One who chooses to live for Jesus will receive eternal life.

8.     John 12:26

a.      We are to follow our Jesus.

b.     If He is our Lord, we are to give Him our lives.

c.      For some that means coming to church, loving others to the best of our ability, supporting ministries and joining Jesus after a long life.

d.     For others that may mean laying our lives down for His truth.

e.      Whatever it looks like for each of us, if we follow Him while on this earth we will be honored by the Father.

f.      Romans 8:17

g.     Through His sacrifice and our following Him, we become coheirs with Jesus.

h.     We will receive a part of His inheritance.

i.       We will be honored by Father God.

j.       We will spend an eternity with Him.

k.     We need to follow Jesus.

9.     John 12:27

a.      Jesus was sharing that the coming events were weighing heavily on Him.

b.     Mark 15:33-34

c.      When He was hanging on the cross and taking on the sin of the world, Jesus was no longer connected to the Father.

d.     Jesus knew what was going to happen, He knew that He would be separated from the Father.

e.      He shared with His disciples, that He is troubled.

f.      Should He ask Father God to spare Him from what is to come?

g.     Instead, Jesus is reasserting that all of this pain and sacrifice that is coming is why He is here on earth.

10.  John 12:28a

a.      May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

b.     May the plan be carried out.

11.  John 12:28b

a.      I have and I will.

b.     The Father was confirming that He had been glorified already through Jesus’ actions.

c.      And that He will be glorified by what is about to happen.

d.     The master plan will be carried out.

e.      The Son will be glorified as He becomes our sacrifice.

f.      The Father will be glorified as His will is being done.

g.     As we follow God, as we seek His will even at the cost of our own… He is glorified by our faithfulness.

h.     The Father has been and will be glorified!

12.  John 12:29-30

a.      God spoke.

b.     Some heard a voice, to others it was just a noise.

c.      The Father spoke so that those who heard the voice would believe.

d.     They may not have understood it all at that time, but He spoke so that people would remember.

e.      That they would connect the dots of these events and repent of their sins and follow Jesus.

13.  John 12:31

a.      It is just about time.

b.     When Jesus pays the price for our sin.

c.      Death is defeated.

d.     The devil loss is etched in stone.

e.      His hold over us cannot retain its grip when compared to what Jesus is offering.

14.  John 12:32-33

a.      Jesus will be lifted up, He will be raised upon a cross.

b.     Through that act, all people will have access to the awesome gift that Jesus is offering.

c.      The gift is not limited to the Jews or those who follow the OT laws.

d.     It is not limited to those who have their act together.

e.      It is a gift for all who walk this earth.

15.  John 12:34

a.      The crowd seems to think that it is possible that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of Man.

b.     Daniel 7:13-14

c.      Seems to be a contradiction between OT and what Jesus is saying.

d.     The Son of Man will have an everlasting dominion.

e.      He and His kingdom will not pass away.

f.      How then is the Son of Man going to die?

g.     How can Jesus, who has said that He is the one the Father sent, die?

16.  John 12:35-36

a.      The light will be with you only a little longer… Jesus is this light, and His time is coming.

b.     He is the light of the World and He will live forever, but His earthly ministry was coming to an end.

c.      He was warning them, that those who walk in darkness… those that embrace their sin really do not understand what is at risk.

d.     How can someone who knows that we will stand before Christ and be judged, continue in their sinful ways.

e.      It may seem like ignorance is bliss, but the price has to be paid one way or another.

f.      Believe in the Light, believe in Jesus.

g.     It is through repentance of our sins and belief in Jesus that we are saved.

h.     That we become children of the light.

i.       That we become God’s beloved children.

j.       Believe in Jesus so that you are not swept away by the darkness.

17.  Last week there were some unknowns.

18.  Today, Jesus has been clear.

19.  We are lost, stumbling around in the darkness without Him.

20.  With Him we are in the light.

a.      We are God’s children.

b.     Coheirs with Christ.

21.  Jesus followed through with the Plan and died on that cross.

a.      He died so that we have the opportunity to spend forever with Him.

22.  If you know Jesus, make sure you are seeking the Father’s will for your life.

23.  If you don’t know Jesus, today is the day.

a.      I would love to talk to you.