Introduction:
12 reasons why people don’t accept Jesus
Review:
37 But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him.
38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke:“ Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39 For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again,
40 “ HE has blinded their eyes and HE hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them.”
41 These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him.
42 Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue;
43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God
(John 12:37-43 NASB)
Theme: Three realities to recall about faith in Christ so you won’t grow discouraged by persistent unbelief
I. Miracles don’t produce faith in Christ vs. 37
II. God may prevent faith in Christ vv. 38-41
III. Man fears the price of manifesting faith in Christ vv. 42-43
27 “ Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘ Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
28 Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven:“I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
29 So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “ An angel has spoken to Him.”
30 Jesus answered and said, “ This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes.
31 Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”
33 But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die.
34 The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”
35 So Jesus said to them, “ For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.
36 While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light
(John 12:27-36 NASB)
Theme: Six reactions to Jesus’ announcement that His hour has come so that you will understand its significance.
I. The Distress of Jesus vs. 27
II. The Prayer of Jesus vs. 28a
III. The Testimony to Jesus vv. 28b-30
IV. The Purpose of Jesus vv. 31-33
A. The Consequence of the hour is judgment vs. 31
B. The Occasion of the hour is the cross vv. 32-33
V. The Objection to Jesus vs. 34
VI. The Exhortations of Jesus vv. 35-36
Command 1: Walk vs. 35
12 On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
13 took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.”
14 Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written,
15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”
16 These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him.
17 So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him.
18 For this reason also the people went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.
19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are not doing any good; look, the world has gone after Him.”
Theme: Three right responses to King Jesus so you will avoid the wrong one.
1 Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
2 So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.
3 Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, *said,
5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?”
6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.
7 Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial.
8 For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”
9 The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead.
10 But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also;
11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus
(John 12:1-11 NASB)
Introduction:
Review:
Theme: Five aspects of loving devotion to Christ so you might demonstrate this in your own life
The Setting vv. 1-2
A. Time vs. 1a
B. Place vs. 1b
C. Occasion vs. 2a
D. Attendees vs. 2b
I. Loving devotion to Christ is Pricey vs. 3a
II. Loving devotion to Christ is Personal vs. 3b
III. Loving devotion to Christ is Provocative vs. 4-6
IV. Loving devotion to Christ is Purposeful vs. 7
V. Loving devotion to Christ is Proper vs. 8
The Controversy vv. 9-11
A. The Popularity of Jesus and Lazarus vs.9
B. The Plot to kill Jesus and Lazarus vv. 10-11
17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.
18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off;
19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.
20 Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house.
21 Martha then said to Jesus, “ Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
22 Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”
23 Jesus *said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha *said to Him, “ I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “ I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,
26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 She *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world
(John 11:17-27 NASB)
Theme: Four common features of an ultimate question so you will know why you can’t avoid it.
It’s a question that naturally comes up in a time of death vv. 17-19
It’s a question that matters especially to those grieving vv. 20-22
It’s a question that speaks to the subject of the after life vv. 23-24
It’s a question that fixes your attention on Jesus Christ vv. 25-26
