Book of John 12:31-50

 Book of John 12:31-50                 January 22, 2022

 The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up on the Cross, Lord Jesus 

John 12:31 Now is the time for the judgment of this world to begin. Now will the ruler of this world be thrown out. 

By Jesus was killed on the cross, resurrected back to life and now sits on a Throne in Heaven at the right hand of the Fathers Throne.  All judgment was given to Jesus to make. When Jesus returns to the earth, Satan and the demons are replaced by Jesus and the Saints to take care of the earth and the Kingdom of God. 

John 5:22-23 The Father judges no one, but has given all authority to judge to the Son, (23) so that everyone may honor the Son as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 

We know that Satan, ruler of this world will be thrown out as Jesus returns to the earth at start of the millennium.   

Matthew 4:8-9 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  (9)  "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 

John 12:32 As for me, when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself." 

When: There is no doubt in Jesus’ mind that He will be crucified. 

First Lifted up, to the cross by violent death; second, lifted up from the grave; third, lifted up to heaven and to Jesus Throne in Heaven 

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. 

The Father will draw all people to Jesus through the apostles and all the Saints that follows 

John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 

John 12:33 He said this to indicate the kind of death he was about to die. 

He just told the disciples again that being lifted up on the cross is how He is going to die.  It seems the men did not understand but the women did. 

Beginning of the end of Satan’s dominion

The beginning of the triumph over the hearts of men

 Will Jesus live forever? 

John 12:34 Then the crowd answered him, "We have learned from the Law that the Messiah remains forever. So how can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" 

·      The Jewish Leadership understood that lifted up meant removal from the earth by death. 

·      They argued that Scripture teaches that the Messiah would abide forever (Psa_110:4; Isa_9:7; Eze_37:25).

·      To them, the Messiah would not have to die.

·      They did not understand that He would be raised 

Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. 

Their idea of the Messiah was an eternal king. Now he spoke of death. 

John 12:35 Jesus replied to the crowd, "The light is among you only for a short time. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. The person who walks in the darkness is in the darkness and does not know where he is going. 

Jesus just gave the Jewish people a strong warning, As the light of the world, Jesus exposes sin and now begins explaining to the people there. 

John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." 

Jesus just told them to seek Him now while they have the opportunity because it will pass away and the darkness come.  

The Unbelief of the People 

John 12:36 As long as you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light." After Jesus had said this, he went away and hid from them.

Jesus said you must believe on him.  He went away from the Jewish Leadership who wanted to kill Him.  Did He go to Bethany to spend the last few hours of His life? 

1 John 1:5 This is the message that we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness; none at all! 

John 12:37 Although he had performed numerous signs in their presence, they did not believe in him, 

Their unbelief is startling, that they did not believe Jesus and rejected Him. 

Paul tells us: 

1 Corinthians 2:14 A person who isn't spiritual doesn't accept the things of God's Spirit, for they are nonsense to him. He can't understand them because they are spiritually evaluated. 

Interesting side, scholars believe there were more than one Isaiah.

The Apostle John quotes from two different parts of the Book of Isaiah. 

John 12:38 so that what the prophet Isaiah spoke might be fulfilled when he said: "Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the Lord's power been revealed?" 

A quote from Isaiah 53 

Isaiah 53:1 "Who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 

·      John quotes Isaiah 53:1 to prove that their unbelief is predictable and would happen and be fulfilled.

·      If someone believes, it is because the Father has revealed Himself and His truth to them through Jesus because He had revealed Himself to them through the many signs and through His teaching. 

The arm of the Lord - The gospel, power, strength, and miracles of Christ and is not revealed to those whose hearts the Lord has not opened. 

John 12:39 This is why they could not believe: Isaiah also said, 

Isaiah taught that some could not believe because God hardened their hearts after they repeatedly rejected the truth, only then. 

Isaiah 6:9 "Go!" he responded. "Tell this people: "'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' 

John 12:40 "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they might not perceive with their eyes, and understand with their mind and turn, and I would heal them." 

Parts of this is taken from Isa 6:9, also Mark 4 quotes the verse 

Mark 4:12 so that 'they may see clearly but not perceive, and they may hear clearly but not understand, otherwise they might turn around and be forgiven.'" 

Paul quotes this verse Paul to explain the rejection of his preaching by the Jews in Rome. 

Acts 28:26 He said, 'Go to this people and say, "You will listen and listen but never understand, and you will look and look but never see! 

John 12:41 Isaiah said this when he saw his glory and spoke about him. 

In that verse, Isaiah was talking about God Himself. Therefore in this passage John is teaching that Jesus is God. 

A quote from Isaiah 6 

Isaiah 6:10 Dull the mind of this people, deafen their ears, and blind their eyes. By doing so, they won't see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their minds, turn back, and be healed." 

Lord Jesus quotes from Isaiah many times, 23 passages from “Isaiah I” and

28 passages from “Isaiah II 

John 12:42 Yet many people, even some of the authorities, believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not admit it so they would not be thrown out of the synagogue. 

Many:  Nicodemus, Joseph, Sanhedrim, and other members of the council and many others believed in Him, they feared their leaders that they would be put out of the synagogue. Fear men more than God.  Remember the Sadducees had the High Priest position. 

John 9:22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 

John 12:43 For they loved the praise of human beings more than the praise of God. 

These men were genuine believers. Their problem was that they feared the opinions of their fellow leaders.

Such believers will be ashamed at Christ’s return. 

Matthew 10:32-33 "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  (33)  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. 

Jesus Came to Save the World, Final, passionate appeal to the people 

John 12:44 Then Jesus said loudly, "The one who believes in me does not believe in me only, but also in the one who sent me. 

Jesus insisted that anyone who believed in Him was at the same time exercising belief in God the Father. 

Luke 10:16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me." 

John 12:45 The one who sees me sees the one who sent me. 

John 14:8-9 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us."  (9)  Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 

John 12:46 I have come into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me will not remain in the darkness. 

When we have Jesus living in us, we are no longer in darkness or continue in sin, ignorance or in unbelief, but walk in the light of truth, faith and holiness until the day of our change 

The Apostle Paul tells us 

Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.' 

John 12:47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not condemn him, because I did not come to condemn the world but to save it. 

Jesus at His first coming to the earth, His purpose did not come to judge but to save.  At Jesus 2^nd coming then He will judge the world. 

All shall be "judged by the things written in the books" 

Revelation 20:12 I saw the dead, both unimportant and important, standing in front of the throne, and books were open. Another book was opened—the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to their actions, as recorded in the books. 

A person must hear the words of Christ in order to believe them; and they must believe, in order to keep them; and they must keep them in order to their salvation. 

John 12:48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has something to judge him: The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day, 

The person who rejects Jesus Words, then also rejects the Father’s Word.

Important:  The words a person leave in the world will decide the destiny of every person.

All shall be "judged by the things written in the books {Rev 12:12} 

Luke 10:16 The person who listens to you listens to me, and the person who rejects you rejects me. The person who rejects me rejects the one who sent me." 

The word “reject” means to despise, or to refuse to receive him 

John 12:49 because I have not spoken on my own authority. Instead, the Father who sent me has himself commanded me what to say and how to speak. 

John 8:28 So Jesus told them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own authority. Instead, I speak only what the Father has taught me.

 Because the Words Jesus spoke was the Divine Words proceeds from the Father, 

John 12:50 And I know that what he commands brings eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me."

 1 John 5:11-12 This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is found in his Son.  (12)  The person who has the Son has this life. The person who does not have the Son of God does not have this life. 

The results of obeying Jesus commands to show we Love Jesus and are life everlasting. 

·      This chapter of John 12; is the closure of the Jesus public preaching to the people.

·      The rest of Jesus ministry and time was in very private and personal talk and private instruction to his apostles, and in preparing them for his approaching death.

·      With this the first main division of Apostle John Gospel ends.

·      Jesus’s revels Himself to the world in His ministry is concluded.

·      The Apostle John has set before us the Testimony of Jesus, the Work of the Messiah, and the Judgment respecting the work, which has ended in a conflict, and the conflict has reached a climax. 

We have reached the beginning of the end, heading to the cross and resurrection.

 

Predestination, what does the Scriptures say: seachord.org

 Predestination, what does the Scriptures say     January 15, 2022 

When you hear the word, Predestination, what do you think of and what does it mean to you?  

Predestination in today’s world is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God in reference to the eventual fate of the individual person. 

·                Free will is the idea that humans have the ability to make their own choices and determine their own fates.

·                Is a person’s will free, or are people's lives in fact shaped by powers outside of their control? 

·                Free will does not mean that people can do anything he pleases. 

·                The Bible is clear that we not only have the ability to choose,

·                But we also have the responsibility to choose wisely. 

·                All sinners are commanded over and over to “repent” and “believe. 

·                Every call to repent is a call to choose.

·                The command to believe assumes that the hearer can choose to obey the command during this life time, before death. 

The Scriptures say people today have free moral agency or free will to make the many difference choices in life, to follow Jesus Way of Life or Satan Way of Death.

When the millennium starts, is the total free will changed in some way. 

This worldly definition causes some problems with the Believer. 

·      Josephus wrote during the first century {probably alive when Jesus was still on the earth and was a Rabi} that the three main Jewish sects differed on this question.

·      He argued that the Essenes and Pharisees argued that God's providence orders all human events,

·      but the Pharisees still maintained that people are able to choose between right and wrong.

·      He wrote that the Sadducees did not have a doctrine of divine intervention. 

From this time on, total confusion on the subject, sounds like Satan has confused us enough.  Let’s look at the Scriptures on what is actually written. 

Paul tells us 

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God, that is, for those who are called according to his purpose, all things are working together for good. 

God does everything, including redemption, in order to accomplish His overarching plan 

Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that the Son might be the firstborn among many brothers. 

Just means to know before hand, God’s knowledge of future events and people, however, do not determine His choice.

Has God failed at anything, No, predestines you and me to before conformed to the image of His Son 

Romans 8:30 And those whom he predestined, he also called; and those whom he called, he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. 

·      God also called believers through the preaching of the gospel message.

·      Only the called are justified.

·      Justification through repentance and the atoning blood of Jesus is what permits us into the presence of God, enabling further growth to glorification in God’s Kingdom/

1 Peter 1:2 the people chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through the sanctifying action of the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus, the Messiah, and to be sprinkled with his blood. May grace and peace be yours in abundance! 

·      God chose those who would be saved out of His own free will and for His own purpose.

·      Only God saves; we can never earn salvation through any work. 

2 Thessalonians 2:14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

·      Those of us who are called by God have been foreknown, predestined, and justified.

·      This call refers to the internal work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of God’s elect to bring them to belief in Christ 

Acts 16:14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. 

·      Being justified means being “declared righteous”

·      because God see the Lord Jesus living in each Saint, is why we are righteous. 

Why predestined, Paul answered this, vs. 29,  so “order that the Son might be the firstborn” and then have the Saints as many brothers.  Think about this. Jesus wants others with him, that is why we were predestined. 

Luke wrote 

Acts 13:27 For the people who live in Jerusalem and their leaders, not knowing who Jesus was, condemned him and so fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 

·      The Jewish Leadership kill Jesus. 

·      This might explain why the Jewish Leadership did not believe who Jesus was

·      because they were not ordained to eternal life at that time. 

·      They were using their own reasoning. 

·      Their time is coming later to believe Jesus. 

Acts 13:48 Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. 

The Gentiles were glorifying the Word of Jesus, are the ones who was destined to receive eternal life, because they believed in Jesus. 

Destined {Tasso} can also be translated to appointed, ordained, destined, or assign to eternal life.  

Luke is telling us that the Gentiles believe the Gospel and embrace eternal life by Jesus through His Holy Spirit, meaning their faith came from the Holy Spirit and not self-made. 

There is some predestination clearly involved in our calling. 

Ephesians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.  (4)  For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 

Ephesians 1:5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will 

Predestined {Proorzo} means predetermine, determine before, ordain, predestinate 

God predestined us for adoption to sonship

Ephesians 1:6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 

One God Loves is Lord Jesus, and is the Beloved Son. 

Paul uses similar title in 

Colossians 1:13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 

There is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood 

Ephesians 1:8-9 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,  (9)  he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 

The word mystery refers to an aspect of God’s will that was once hidden or obscure, but now was being revealed by God 

Romans 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.   A number required for fullness. 

·      These Scriptures does not say every act of our life is predestined,

·      but God does predestinate some individuals to salvation and change at His return to the earth and

·      God does not predestinate others to salvation, not at this time, but a later time. 

·      This is a time of separating those who are called during this age and the those called during the next age. 

Matthew 22:14 "For many are called {invited}, but few are chosen." 

·      How does Jesus chose which ones, I have no idea and the Scriptures are not real clear. 

·      We know predestination applies to the church as a whole group. 

·      The Father knew that He would raise up the church to do the work and need to call out ones to support the Lord Jesus. 

Maybe Paul gives us an hint who are called. 

Romans 3:27-28 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.  (28) Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast. 

We see even the faith that starts us on the road to repentance is a Gift from God. 

Peter tells us 

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 

Some will perish in the Lake of Fire if not written in in the Book of Life 

Revelation 20:15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. 

Who else was known from the beginning, Jeremiah?  God had plans for him. 

Jeremiah 1:4-5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:  (5)  "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." 

The Father knew before several individuals before their births 

Jesus works all thing according to His will 

Ephesians 1:11-13 In the Messiah we were also chosen when we were predestined according to the purpose of the one who does everything that he wills to do, (12) so that we who had already fixed our hope on the Messiah might live for his praise and glory.  (13)  You, too, have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed in the Messiah, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 

Ephesians 1:11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 

God's purpose will stand, and nothing will stop Him from doing His pleasure. He is no distant spectator. 

John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 

·      It is the Father who draws individual to him, draw means literally “to drag”

·      We know by faith that if God predestines someone to be change to Spirit and the image of His Son, God have never failed.

·      God foreknew us and determined to call us before He ever made His summons know to us.

·      We are in this elite group, the called.

·      Why, only because the great God of heaven and earth specifically and personally summoned each one of us.

·      God brought the Good News to our attention so we would be motivated to choose to respond freely to it. 

The Apostle Paul gives us a promise 

Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 

We may stumble, The Father wants us to be in His Kingdom and is preparing us to rule with and under Lord Jesus in the Kingdom of God during the millennium. 

1 Peter 1:20 On the one hand, he was foreknown before the creation of the world, but on the other hand, he was revealed at the end of time for your sake. 

This phrase contrasts with the first half of the verse. What was known only to God before the creation of the world is now made known to us. 

Romans 11:2-5 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: (3) "Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me"?  (4)  And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal."  (5)  So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 

2 Timothy 1:9-10 He has saved us and called us to a holy life, not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, (10) but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 

·      God’s saving and calling of believers is not according to any works.

·      It is impossible for people to earn their way into heaven.

·      Salvation is according to God’s own purpose or sovereign plan.

·      Grace is God’s unearned favor.

·      The Lord called us and saved us in Christ Jesus before time began. 

John 10:28-29 I give them eternal life, they will never be lost, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  (29)  What my Father has given me is more important than anything, and no one can snatch it from the Father's hand. 

John 10:30 I and the Father are one." 

Jesus gives us choice and does not want any Saints to sin. 

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;  (20)  that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them." 

Let’s look at again: from the beginning 

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God, that is, for those who are called according to his purpose, all things are working together for good. 

Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that the Son might be the firstborn among many brothers. 

Romans 8:30 And those whom he predestined, he also called; and those whom he called, he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. 

Look at what it really says why we were predestined to be part of the family of God 

·      Who love God called according to his purpose,

·      he foreknew {in the womb} he also predestined

·      conformed to the image of his Son

·      order that the Son might be the firstborn among many brothers.

·      he predestined, he also called

·      those whom he called, he also justified; 

·      those whom he justified he also glorified. 

Jesus could not be the firstborn without those who were predestined 

We, the Saints of our Lord Father predestined each of us to be part of the family.