Scripture: John 12:20-36
Video Link: https://youtu.be/0JlP3GcxrOo
Structure:
- Introduction
- The why of the cross (purpose)
- The way of the cross (strategy)
- Conclusion – The crisis of the cross (decision)
Introduction:
Good morning everyone.
Many people these days do the daily Wordle. But I’m interested to know, does anyone here still do the crossword? [Wait]
There are basically two types of crosswords. The regular type which uses similar words for clues and cryptic crosswords, which are a bit trickier. With cryptic crosswords each clue has two parts. One part gives a definition of the answer and the other part is an additional hint using word play.
For example, a cryptic clue might read: A holy symbol of torture (5 letters).
Any guesses as to what the word might be? [Wait]
That’s right, cross. A cross is both a holy symbol and an instrument of torture.
Last Sunday we started a new sermon series for Lent, looking at some of the events in Jesus’ last week on earth leading up to his crucifixion. Today’s reading focuses on John chapter 12, verses 20-36. In this passage Jesus talks cryptically about the meaning of the cross. From John 12, verse 20 we read…
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 honour 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 upfrom 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.
May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.
Today’s Scripture reads like a series of cryptic crossword clues. It takes some thinking about. Here’s the big picture: Jesus is talking about the cross. He is presenting the why of the cross and the way of the cross. The why of the cross speaks to purpose and the way is about Jesus’ strategy for achieving that purpose. So why did Jesus go to the cross?
The why of the cross:
Here’s another cryptic clue for you: ‘shining a light on honour’ (7 letters). What could the word be? [Wait] You can find the answer in verse 28, by the way. [Wait] That’s right, glorify.
To glorify something is to shine a positive light on it, to highlight that which is honourable and good. God is love and so we glorify God (we highlight His goodness) when we love others.
In the context of John 12, it is just days before Jesus will go to the cross in obedience to God the Father. Jesus is riding a wave of popularity with the people. Even some God fearing Greeks have asked to speak with him. But Jesus doesn’t really care about being popular. The cross is what’s on top for Jesus.
With this in mind, Jesus explains the why of the cross. This is the purpose in other words. Jesus gives at least three reasons why he must be crucified: To glorify God’s name. To defeat Satan and to draw all people to himself.
In verse 28, Jesus prays: Father, glorify your name. Jesus is deeply troubled by the thought of going to the cross. If he must suffer in this way, then he wants his suffering to have meaning and purpose. He doesn’t want to suffer in vain.
God’s name is his reputation and his integrity. God’s name is love. Jesus wants his crucifixion to shine a light on God’s love. Jesus wants God to be honoured through the cross.
Jesus’ prayer for God’s name to be glorified is a model for us. One thing is certain in this life. We will suffer pain, uncertainty and loss. How should we pray when faced with suffering? Well, Jesus shows us (by his example) to be honest about how we are feeling and ask God to make our suffering serve a higher purpose.
So we might pray something like, ‘Lord, this really hurts. I don’t like it and would rather not have to endure it. But your will be done. Redeem my suffering. Let my suffering shine a light on your love, your grace, your justice, your mercy, your goodness. Amen.’
Interestingly, God answers Jesus’ prayer in an audible way, saying: “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
There are three times in the gospels when God speaks audibly. Once at Jesus’ baptism. Then again at Jesus’ transfiguration and here, for a third time, in John 12. The audible voice is for the benefit of those around Jesus.
To some people, God’s voice is like the sound of thunder. Powerful but incomprehensible. To others, God’s voice sounds like an angel. I’m not sure what an angel sounds like but one imagines something like the hallelujah chorus. Beautiful, melodic, intelligent, pregnant with meaning.
Why is it that some hear thunder when God speaks, while others hear music? We can’t be sure but perhaps it has to do with how well we are tuned in to God? It is the Spirit of Jesus who enables us to tune in and hear God.
Verse 28 is saying that God has glorified his name through Jesus’ work so far (for example, his miracles of mercy and his teaching of truth) and God will glorify his name again through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
So that’s the first reason why Jesus went to the cross, to glorify God’s name. The second reason is to defeat Satan.
In verse 31 Jesus says: Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
The phrase ‘prince of this world’ is a cryptic way of referring to Satan. On the face of it, Jesus’ death on the cross would appear to be a victory for the evil one, when in actual fact it is God’s way of judging the devil.
We might think of it this way: In a game of football, if a player misbehaves perhaps by becoming violent and throwing a punch, the referee gives that player a red card and sends them off the field for the rest of the game. By killing Jesus, Satan earned himself a red card and God (the referee) sent him off the field.
Of course, the spiritual battle Jesus won against evil was infinitely greater than any football match. My illustration falls short.
Jesus’ victory over Satan naturally raises questions for us in the 21st Century. Because 2000 years after Jesus’ crucifixion it appears that Satan is still on the field, still very active in this world. In what sense then has Satan been defeated and driven out?
Well, from our very limited human perspective, we might say that Satan’s defeat at Golgotha took place in the spiritual realm. With Jesus’ death and resurrection something shifted, spiritually, so that Satan was cast out of the heavenly court.
Satan may still be loose in the physical world, wreaking all sorts of havoc, but his time on earth is limited. Satan has lost his authority as a prince. When Jesus returns in glory he will expel Satan from the earth as well and make all things new. The new heavens and the new earth will not be tarnished by evil.
There is another, more personal, way to think about the devil’s defeat. The name Satan is a Hebrew term which literally means accuser or adversary. Satan is the one who accuses us before God. He is the one who takes us to spiritual court and makes all sorts of accusations and threats against us.
Theologians tell us that, on the cross, Jesus took our sin (our crimes against God and humanity) upon himself. So, when Jesus died, our sin died with him. This means, when Satan accuses us of wrong doing, his accusations are empty because our sin died with Jesus on the cross.
Therefore, Satan has no case. When we align ourselves with Jesus, God throws the devil’s accusations out of court and we are acquitted.
You may (at times) still feel Satan’s accusation against you personally but, as a believer, you do not need to fear his accusation because he has no actual power to condemn you. He’s just playing mind games. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
For those of you who struggle with the idea of a Satan, let me put it this way: On the cross Jesus overcame fear with love. He overcame condemnation with forgiveness. For those who believe, the love of God (as displayed by Jesus on the cross) has the power to conquer the fear of death and silence the voice of the accuser.
We are talking about the why of the cross. Jesus’ purpose in going to the cross was to glorify God’s name, to defeat Satan and to draw all people to himself.
Time for another cryptic clue. ‘Make a picture come closer’ (4 letters). [Wait] You can find this word in verse 32. [Wait] That’s right, draw.
The word ‘draw’ can mean, ‘to make a picture’ but it can also mean ‘to come closer’, as in draw near.
In verse 32, Jesus says: And I, when I am lifted upfrom the earth, will draw all people to myself.
Crucifixion involved being lifted up on a cross for everyone to see. And so, ‘When I am lifted up’ is a cryptic way of saying, ‘when I am crucified’.
The cross of Christ serves the purpose of drawing all people to Jesus. We are not driven to Jesus by fear. We are drawn to Jesus by his passion. Passion is a word which literally means suffering. If you have ever felt the passion of love, you will understand why passion means suffering.
The cross is a symbol of suffering. Suffering and death is the universal experience of every human being. Jesus suffered in pretty much every way. He suffered physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. He suffered insult, injury and injustice and so anyone who has ever suffered, even a little bit of what Jesus suffered, can identify with him.
Our own suffering (large and small) can be a vehicle to intimacy with Jesus. If we are misunderstood, maligned or treated unfairly. If we suffer loss or abuse, hunger or thirst, then we can draw close to Jesus in that experience, knowing we are not alone. Knowing Jesus has been there before us and shares in our pain now.
Because suffering is universal, the cross of Christ draws all people to Jesus. Our reading today started with some Greeks coming to ask Philip if they could meet with Jesus to talk with him. They were God fearing people who were intellectually curious. They were seeking the truth.
But after that we don’t read any more about these Greek seekers. We don’t know whether they got to speak to Jesus or not. Their presence in the narrative is a bit cryptic. What we do know is that Jesus took their enquiry as a sign that his hour had come.
Leon Morris explains: The fact that the Greeks had reached a point of wanting to meet Jesus showed that the time had come for him to die for the world. Jesus no longer belongs (exclusively) to Judaism, which in any case has (largely) rejected him. Jesus belongs to the whole world. [1]
The Greeks, in John 12, represent the wider world who seek a Saviour. Whether Jesus spoke with the Greeks or not, he certainly died for them.
The way of the cross:
Okay, so we’ve considered the why of the cross. Now let’s consider the way of the cross. In talking about the way of the cross, we mean the strategy Jesus used for achieving God’s purpose.
Jesus’ way is somewhat of a paradox. The way to life is found through death. The way to glory is found through suffering. And the way to honour is found through service. These are not three separate things. They are three ways of saying the same thing.
Jesus illustrates his strategy, in verse 24, using a parable from nature. Just as a single seed must be planted in the earth and die in order to become a plant and grow many more seeds, so too Jesus must die and be buried in order to be raised and bring eternal life to many. In short, Jesus’ sacrificial death multiplies life.
Jesus’ illustration of the seed is not difficult to understand. But what does it mean for us, his followers? How do we apply Jesus’ words about hating your life in this world? Does this mean we must go around miserable and grumpy all the time?
Well, no. There is much that is beautiful in this world. Much to be celebrated and enjoyed. Simple things like watching a sunset or the companionship of an old friend or the smell of freshly baked bread or reading a good book. It is necessary and healthy for us to take time out to enjoy these simple pleasures.
When Jesus speaks about hating your life in this world, he is using an ancient Jewish idiom that is mostly lost in translation for us. The ‘world’ in the gospel of John often refers to this current age, this epoch in history, which is finite and coming to an end.
Jesus’ point is not to become too attached to the things of this world because they are passing away. Your house, your car, your career, your bank balance, your special skills and talents, your reputation; these are all temporary things. They do not travel with you, to the next world, when you die.
What really matters, is faith expressing itself in love. The love you give in this world is banked for you in the next, in eternity. More than just being banked, the love you give is multiplied like a seed. It is transformed beyond all imagining.
‘Hating your life’ does not mean harming yourself or treating yourself harshly. You are highly valued by God and you need to care for the body and soul God has given you. Jesus goes on to explain, in verse 26, that hating your life in this world equates to serving and following him. As Paul says in Romans 12, we are to be living sacrifices.
Serving Jesus will look different for each of us. For some it means giving your time and skills to help in the church. For others it might mean raising your family to know and love Jesus. And still for others, serving Jesus might mean practising his values, living out his way, in the workplace.
Conclusion – the crisis of the cross:
One more cryptic crossword clue: ‘A decision made under pressure’ (6 letters). What’s the word? [Wait] It starts with a ‘C’ and ends with an ‘S’. [Wait]
That’s right, Crisis.
The word crisis literally means to decide. The crisis point is the moment of decision. But in everyday usage a crisis is a time of intense distress or pressure. The cross of Christ creates a crisis. The cross of Christ demands a decision.
When Jesus spelled out to people his strategy, the way of the cross, the crowds had difficulty accepting it. They could not imagine a crucified Messiah. They thought their Saviour King would remain forever and so they questioned Jesus.
They were half right. Yes, Jesus the Messiah does remain forever but not without being crucified first. After Jesus died, God raised him to eternal life. Unfortunately, the crowds were not able to put that together.
Jesus has already answered their question and doesn’t waste his breath repeating himself. Instead he says: “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you…”
In the gospel of John, Jesus is the light of the world. Light, therefore, is Jesus’ cryptic way of referring to himself. Jesus is basically saying, believe in me while you still can because if you don’t believe in me now, the window of opportunity for faith will close and you will lose yourself in the dark.
To walk in the dark and not know where you are going in life is to not know what your future is. To not know you have a good future is to be hopeless, it is to be in despair. Jesus doesn’t want despair for us.
The cross of Christ creates a crisis. The cross of Christ demands a decision. Have you accepted the light of the world? Have you put your trust in Jesus?
May the Spirit of God turn the light on in our minds that we would believe and see and walk in the way of Jesus. Amen.
Questions for discussion or reflection:
What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
- What does it mean to glorify someone or something? How do we glorify God?
- Can you think of a time in your own life when God used your suffering to serve a higher purpose? What happened?
- Discuss / reflect on the various ways Jesus defeated Satan on the cross. How loud is the voice of accusation in your head? What triggers that voice? What defence might you employ against the voice of accusation?
- Think about your own experience of suffering. Does this connect with Jesus’ suffering in some small way? Take a few moments to draw close to Jesus in the intimacy of your shared experience. Know that you are not alone. Know that Jesus walks with you, sharing in your pain.
- What did Jesus mean by ‘hating your life in this world’? How do you serve Jesus in this life?
- What simple pleasures can you enjoy this week to nourish your soul and invigorate your service to Jesus?
[1] Leon Morris, NICNT on John, page 524.
Tawa Baptist 