John 12:27-36

The message of the cross, that we can only save our lives if we lose our lives, is not popular, as is evident in today’s passage.  Those who heard Jesus, and the Father speak from heaven, asked Jesus: we have heard … that the Christ remains forever; how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’?  Crucifixion (being lifted up) was not just execution; it was a very shameful, belittling form of execution, not the kind of Messiah the average person is seeking.

We can tell you today that this continues to be a major stumbling block.  Jews and Muslims, for example, are turned off by the thought of a Messiah that dies, and that dies in this fashion.  The average American stumbles at this as well.  To follow in the steps of someone who died in such agony, almost completely naked in front of masses of people in Jerusalem for Passover, is not attractive.

Yet it is God’s universal principle.  Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matt. 23:12 and many other places in Scripture).  This is God’s prerogative; He is the judge who brings one down and raises another (Psa. 75:6-7).  You can read it in every case in the Bible.  The high and lofty God dwells with the one who is contrite (Isa. 57:15).

We see this in our Lord.  He says His hour has come (v20-22), the hour when He must fall into the ground (v23-26).  He submits Himself to that hour (v27-29).  But why?  Why must He do this?  He gives us two reasons.

·        12:30-33: Only as Jesus embraces this hour will the ruler of this world be casty out.  He is talking about Satan (cf. Jn. 14:11), the evil one.  The whole world is under his control (1 John 5:19).  Under his control death reigns in this world.  Satan is at work in the death of Christ, but to his own undoing.  As Paul said in 1 Cor. 2:8, if the rulers of this age knew God’s plan to glorify His Son, they would not have crucified Him.  By tasting death Jesus was then able to destroy the one (the devil) who had the power of death (Heb. 2:14).

·        12:32-33: He tasted death for everyone.  Thus the death of the Son of Man enabled Him to draw all to Himself.  Not just Jews but those Greeks as well.  When the Holy Spirit in working in the heart of a person, the cross that they find offensive becomes a thing of beauty.  Remember the backdrop to this in John 3:14-15, the story of Israel when they had rebelled against Him.  He sent poisonous snakes and many were dying.  But when Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole and the people looked to it, they were delivered.  So with Jesus.  When He was lifted up on the cross it gave humanity the means by which they could be delivered from sin and guilt.  Hallelujah!

The response to all this is in Jesus’ words to the people of His day.  Believe in the light, that you may become sons of light!  Perhaps you have turned away from Jesus because you find the cross offensive.  We pray that you will take another look at this One who loved you and gave Himself for you.