Embracing the Light: Jesus' Mission and Our Response
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Father we tremble at the thought of your blinding and hardening work and we are so thankful that Jesus didn't come into the world to judge the world but that the world through him might be saved I don't want to be the instrument of anyone's hardening tonight I don't want to be the aroma from death to death I tremble at the prospect of consigning anyone to destruction through bringing them to the point of decisive unbelief through exposing them to the brightness of the glory which they hate. [00:00:21]
The dark things in the Bible are spoken for the sake of light the ugly things in the Bible are spoken for the sake of beauty the painful things in the Bible are spoken for the sake of comfort the sorrowful things in the Bible are spoke for the sake of joy and conflict is pictured in the Bible for the sake of peace we know this because what Jesus said in John 15 11 he said that he speaks his words so that our joy might be full and many of those words were painful. [00:04:22]
Feel the weight of this moment these are the last things he has to say publicly to an audience in public let it weigh on you think about that think why would he choose to talk like this then it's over goes to the Last Supper and everything else in the Gospel of John he says to his disciples by themselves except for the trial in the execution there's something strange about the way John sets up these closing verses. [00:06:55]
Whoever believes in Me believes not in me but him who sent me whoever sees me sees him who sent me first to last that's been one of the main points hasn't it if you've seen me you've seen the father if you have me you have the father if you know me you know the father if you deny me the son you don't have the father whoever confesses the son has the father also. [00:10:24]
I have come into the world as light so that whoever believes in Me may not remain in darkness this is the last public mention of Jesus being the light of the world and it's been the mention from the beginning chapter 1 verse 5 the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not will not cannot overcome it everyone who received Jesus passes out of darkness into everlasting light. [00:11:55]
The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day for I have not spoken on my own authority but the father who sent me has himself given me a commandment to say and to speak and I know that this commandment is life its eternal life what I say therefore I say as the father has told me. [00:13:24]
The rejection is planned with chapter 13 everything focuses on the final hours with his twelve and the death and the resurrection and what we are now to see is that this catastrophic and glorious end to the greatest life that ever was was owing to the unbelief of Israel the catastrophic glorious end he is owing to the unbelief of Israel Jesus was crucified because he came to his own and they did not receive him. [00:20:01]
The path that God planned for him the path that would lead to the cross where he would give himself up as a substitution for sinners was a path that led through the unbelief of Israel and make possible the salvation of the world so you can see where this is going this sad text this sad account of the unbelief of Israel is designed by John and designed by God to bring everlasting gladness to the world. [00:21:27]
The root of Israel's unbelief is that they loved the glory of man and they did not love the glory of God or look look at verse 41 and let's put all the pieces together now we're almost we're almost finished putting the pieces together we'll draw things to a close with three conclusions verse 41 is the last piece in the puzzle I say John is commenting on what he just read from Isaiah 53 and 6. [00:36:59]
The root of unbelief points to the glory of Jesus Christ the root of unbelief points to the glory of Jesus Christ he is the radiance of God's glory Hebrews 1:3 he is meek and lowly so put those together this is our Christ he is the very radiance of the glory of God he is very god of very God we sang tonight begotten not great I hope you feel the weight of the theology behind that everlastingly eternally begotten never created he is our God. [00:42:20]
This text text of this message John 12 37 250 and the entire public ministry of Jesus points to the cross where he will die for the world including Israel he was the glory of Isaiah 6 he was the unattractive suffering servant of Isaiah 53 and therefore because of both he was rejected by men and destined therefore for the cross and for the salvation of the world this is what God planned in the unbelief of Israel. [00:44:30]
It was all planned there could be no salvation had he not been rejected it was planned for your piece it was planned for your healing it was planned for your forgiveness through and all glorious despised and rejected Messiah if you love the glory of God rather than the glory of man let's pray father I ask that you would now do a cosmic as it were rearrangement of the solar systems of our lives in this room and beyond. [00:46:18]
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