Known As One Who Believes

Known As One Who Believes

John 12:37-50 

 

Illus. Known.

 

The end of John 12 represents a transition in the book. The public ministry of Jesus in the book is coming to an end. Jesus is just a few short days away from His death, burial, and resurrection. The ministry of Jesus will turn from public to private as we turn the page from chapter 12 to 13. The focus will shift to Jesus’ ministry and teaching to His disciples, His prayers, and His coming to the cross.

His public ministry ends where we ended last week, in verse 36 of chapter 12. Jesus had revealed what kind of death He was going to die by being lifted up, and that by being lifted up on the cross, all would be drawn to Him, but they would need to believe in Him.

 

John 12:36,  While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.” These things Jesus proclaimed, and He went away and hid Himself from them.

 

The verses that follow represent a summary of the book of John thus far. And that summary centers on the focus of this book, belief. In John 20:31, we get a summary statement on the book as a whole, that what is written in it was written “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing you may have life in His name.”

John 12:37-50 then is a check-in on which direction people are moving in as we get closer to the cross. People are divided into two categories as the chapter closes, those who believe and those who do not. Those who believe are the known saved, those who do not are the unsaved. As we study these verses, they serve as important reminders to us this morning to make sure we find ourselves in the right category, to be known by Jesus as one who believes!

 

John 12:37-50

 

In verse 44, Jesus gives some identifying factors of those who believe and those who do not. He divides the people into two categories: those known for believing and those known for unbelief. Do you believe, or do you not believe? That is the question. Here Jesus gives us answers to the question. He speaks of believers and identifies them! Given that information, I want to offer three identifying factors that are key if you are known as one who believes.

 

1. When Jesus Shows You Who He Is, Believe Him

 

• Verse 36 representing the end of Jesus’ public ministry in the book of John. His public ministry ended and then two categories the believing, and the non-believing.

 

John 8;12, Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

 

John 12:36(a), While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.” These things Jesus proclaimed, and He went away and hid Himself from them.

 

• This is a theme throughout the book of John. Jesus is the Light, believe in Him!

 

John 1:9-12, This was the true Light that, coming into the world, enlightens every person. He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, and yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not accept Him.

 

• “They did not know” means they did not acknowledge Him.

 

• It is quite the statement, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, came to the same world He created, to the people created in His image, made to declare His glory, yet the world did not know Him.

 

• And He came to His own people, but they did not accept Him. They did not receive Him.

 

John 1:12-13, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.

 

• Those who receive Him are given the right to become children of God. How would one do this? By believing. 

 

• The word for “believe” is found 98 times in the book of John.

 

• Beginning with the very first chapter, the book of John revealed Jesus’ identity and the opportunity for all to believe, and from the beginning of Jesus ministry, He revealed Himself and pressed the importance of belief.

 

• In John 3:16: Jesus stated that “whoever believes in Him” would not perish but have eternal life. In John 6:29: When asked what work God requires, Jesus replies, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent”. In John 8:24: Jesus said, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will indeed die in your sins.” In John 11:25–26: Jesus tells Martha, “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”

 

• Not only did Jesus have these sayings, He showed the people signs.

 

• In the book of John there are seven recorded signs, or miracles:

 

Illus. He turned water into wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1–11) He healed a royal official’s son in who was at the point of death…(John 4:46–54) He healed a paralytic man at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1–15) Fed the 5,000 (John 6:5–14) He walked on Water (John 6:16–24) Healed the man born blind at the Pool of Siloam (John 9:1–7) and He raised Lazarus from the dead in Bethany (John 11:1–45)

 

• While 7 are recorded in the book of John, there are 37 in all four gospels combined.

 

John 12:37, But though He had performed so many signs in their sight, they still were not believing in Him.

 

• Jesus had saying, showed signs, and also gave His status.

 

Illus. Jesus; “I am” statements: “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35), “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), “I am the door of the sheep” (John 10:7) “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11), “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), “I am the true vine” (John 15:1).

 

• Though Jesus had performed the signs, they would not believe. But He had not just shown signs, He had said these things, He had delivered His identity, and they still were not believing in Him.

 

• 37, Though Jesus had performed the signs in their sight, they still were not believing.

 

Illus. When someone tells you…

• Jesus had shown them all they needed to see and had told them all they needed to hear, but the unbelievers would not believe.

 

• Considering those who would not believe even though Jesus had performed signs in plain sight, John tells us that these circumstances were not surprising, but a fulfillment of prophecy.

 

John 12:38-41, This happened so that the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke would be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, “He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, so that they will not see with their eyes and understand with their heart, and be converted, and so I will not heal them.” These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke about Him.

 

• In verse 38 to 41, John quoted Isaiah 53:1 when references the coming Messiah with these words, “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

 

• As far as who the arm of the Lord had been revealed to? It had been revealed to all through the miracles Jesus performed.

 

• As far as who would believe, Jesus said in Matthew 7:14 that narrow is the path that leads to life and few find it.

 

• In verses 39 and 40, John quotes Isaiah 6:10.

 

• This is after Isaiah himself saw the Lord… and he responded to seeing the Lord this way: Isaiah 6:5, “Woe to me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of armies.”

 

• Then the Lord told to go tell people about what was ahead, they would not believe and in their hearts there would be a hardening and in their eyes, a blinding.

 

• When verse 40 tells us He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, it is a picture of how the unwillingness of the people to believe, became an incapacity to believe.

 

• Some were, and are, unwilling to believe. That is part one, human will. They see the hand of God, and then they much make a decision as to whether they will believe what they see.

 

• That choice, over time, becomes firm. It is a decision, a choice, there is a hardening.

 

• The Lord, is that your choice? We are going to be sure, we are going to strengthen that decision. What is the opposite? A softening. But those who refuse to believe will not get a softening, but a hardening.

 

Illus. Hard heart hardened.

 

• Isaiah had seen the Lord and said “woe is me, I believe” other see the hand of Lord and respond differently.

 

John 10:24-25, The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me…”

 

• In the hardening of hearts referenced, the Lord is confirming the choice, the final answer of those who are unwilling to believe.

 

• Jesus had shown them who He was, and they would not believe, their identity was unbelief. In contrast, the identifying factor for being known as one who believes, when Jesus shows them who He is, they believe Him!

 

1. When People Question Your Belief, Confess Him

 

John 12:42-43, Nevertheless many, even of the rulers, believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, so that they would not be excommunicated from the synagogue; for they loved the approval of people rather than the approval of God.

 

• While there were some who simply didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah despite what they had seen, others believed in Him, but they would not confess that they had put their faith and trust in Him.

 

• This started early in Jesus’ ministry…

 

John 2:23-25, Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name as they observed His signs which He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, because He knew all people, and because He did not need anyone to testify about mankind, for He Himself knew what was in mankind.

 

• This group, saw the signs Jesus had displayed and believed in His name, but they did not have saving faith.

 

• It is one thing to see the signs and be amazed, it another to see the Savior, surrender your life and let Him guide your way.

 

• The word believe means to thinks to be true, or to be persuaded of, or to credit.

 

• In response to Jesus, there are differently types of belief.

 

• In James chapter 2, we are told that we do well to believe God is one, but the demons also believe and shudder…There is a demonic belief. Then, James talks about a dead belief, an acknowledgement, but no response. But there is an authentic and dynamic faith as well…and that is what is depicted by the disciples. They remembered, believed, and are seen following Jesus.

 

• John 3, Jesus then meets with a man named Nicodemus who knew some things about Jesus, but hadn’t yet come to a true belief. Jesus spoke to Him about belief, clearing the way for Him to see Jesus truly.

 

John 3:1-3, Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to]Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

 

• That was at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, here at the end, the same thing is happening.

 

• People are believing some things, but not enough to start confessing Him personally.

 

• When we read in verse 42, “many, even of the rulers, believed in Him.” The word there is one that can mean, to think to be true.

 

• But they were not confessing Him. Which means to acknowledge, to declare, to agree with, or to admit.

 

• The reason why they wouldn’t confess is because they were worried they would be excommunicated from the synagogue.

 

• This reminds us of John 9, after Jesus healed the man born blind. There was great controversy about Him. The religious leaders then began to question him and his parents and they were afraid of excommunication from the synagogue.

 

John 9:19-22

 

• Here is the same fear, the religious leaders had said that anyone who confessed Christ would be excommunicated from the synagogue, they would be kicked out.

 

• John adds, however, for they loved the approval of people rather than the approval of God.

 

• That is another Greek word, doxa, it means the opinion, estimate, view, or judgement.

 

• They valued people having a good opinion of them over God. They loved the opinion people had of them more than the opinion God had of them. They loved a good judgement from others over a good judgement from God. They love to be esteemed by others, rather than being esteemed by God.

 

Proverbs 29:25, Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety. (NLT)

 

• The trap is, thinking that is the safest thing to do, or place to be. I don’t want to offend anyone, a person might say!

 

Galatians 1:10, Am I now seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

 

Illus. Approval.

 

1. Campbell Morgan: Probably the vast majority of people are more influenced by what men will say, than by what God almighty thinks.

Illus. Well done.

 

Matthew 10:32-33, Everyone who confesses Me before people, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before people, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

 

Romans 10:9, If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

 

• Be known as one who believe, and the best way to be known, is to make it known! When Jesus shows you who He is, believe Him. When people question your belief in Him, confess Him.

 

III.   When Jesus Offer Teachings, Accept Them

 

John 12:44-46, Now Jesus cried out and said, “The one who believes in Me, does not believe only in Me, but also in Him who sent Me. And the one who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as Light into the world, so that no one who believes in Me will remain in darkness. 

 

• Jesus cried this statement out. He said it with a loud voice.

 

• He speaks of differences between those who believe in Him, versus those who reject Him.

 

• The believer accepts God, the rejector rejects God. Jesus said it plainly, “the one who believes in Me, does not believe only in Me, but also in Him who sent me.” He declares that He and the Father are a package deal, they are together in this!

 

• The believers no longer remains in darkness, the rejector will remain in darkness. Jesus said, I have come as Ligh into the world, so that no one who believes in me will remain in darkness.

 

John 8:12, Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

 

• The one who follows will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life, the one who does not will remain in darkness.

 

• That is the choice. How do you choose the light? You have to believe Him for salvation, follow Him.

 

One commentator said it this way… Medical science can add years to your life, Jesus can add life to your years!

 

• The believer accepts His teachings, the rejector rejects His teachings.

 

John 12:47, If anyone hears My teachings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

 

• The point Jesus presses here, was His purpose. He came to save. He was going to go all the way to the cross.

 

• Jesus took on human flesh for the purpose of salvation. He had not come for the purpose of judgement, He could have done that without dying on the cross for us.

 

• He came to make the way for Salvation. That was Jesus first coming. But He is going to come again. 

 

John 12:48-50, The one who rejects Me and does not accept My teachings has one who judges him: the word which I spoke. That will judge him on the last day.  For I did not speak on My own, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. And I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”

 

• Jesus speaks of the last day, the end of the age. He will come again, and those who reject His offer of salvation, will be judged in the end.

 

Revelation 19:11, And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.

 

• What is it that the people in the end will be judged according to? Jesus says it here, His word.

 

• In other words, He has given the answers to the test, His word.

 

Psalm 119:105, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

 

Illus. Open book.

 

John 3:16-19

 

John 12:37-50