Scripture Introduction
The cross is the crux (the central point) of the Christian faith. At the cross sinners find hope and help; from the cross the hands and side of the Savior bleed; by the cross that God cries out, “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 45.22).
The first man, Adam, was disobedient, leading to death; the God-man, the second Adam was “obedient to the point of death, even the death on a cross” (Philippians 2.8). At the cross God was glorified, sin subdued, Satan defeated, death destroyed. At the cross, God’s love shines as the noon-day sun, God’s holiness burns beyond a shadow of doubt, God’s power brings his goals to fruition in the face of opposition from the kings of the earth and the prince of hell. At the cross, God’s wisdom is thought foolish, but proven to be wisdom which foolish men cannot stomach. At the cross God insists on being both just and justifier, the righteous judge of sin and the merciful father of salvation. No wonder the great Apostle, Paul, summarized his life with phrases like: “Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Galatians 6.14).
We are finishing today the twelfth chapter, concluding part one of John’s Life of the Christ. John summarizes his complete work in this way: “These signs are 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 20.31). The signs to which he refers are eight. Seven appear in chapters 1-12, part one: “The Book of Signs.” The final sign, the resurrection, waits the end of the second part, volume two.
As every good author does, John ends volume one with a summary and a preview. In our text today we will be reminded of key truths from the first part, Jesus’ public ministry: his teaching on light and darkness, his call to faith in him as the Messiah, his obedience to the Father in all things. We also have a preview for the remainder of the John’s gospel: “The Book of Glory: the story of the Passion of the Christ.” We are focusing on the preview—why Jesus’ life ends at the cross. [Read John 12.27-50. Pray.]
Introduction
In his book, No Wonder They Call Him The Savior, Max Lucado tells the sad story of Judith Bucknell. She lived in Coconut Grove, a stylish area of Miami where many lonely people pretended to be happy. On June 9th she was murdered, homicide number 106 that year. We remember Judith because she kept a diary.
She was not on drugs or welfare. She never went to jail. She was not a prostitute, but she offered her love to many men. She was certainly not a social outcast. She was respectable. She jogged, hosted parties, wore designer clothes, and had an apartment overlooking the bay. She worried about the same things women her age worry about: getting old, getting fat, getting married, getting by. She was a successful secretary, but unsuccessful in life. She wrote: “I see people together and I’m so jealous I want to throw up. What about me! What about me!”
Another entry cried out: “Where are the men with the flowers and champagne and music? Where are the men who call and ask for a genuine, actual date? I would like to have, once before I pass through my life…a loving relationship.” And one her last entries: “Who is going to love Judy Bucknell? I feel so old. Unloved. Unwanted. Abandoned. Used up. I want to cry and sleep forever.”
We feel the loneliness when the mailbox is empty. It may tempt us to sign up for email marketing lists. We know the pain when the phone does not ring or the door does not open.
I was touched by that story as I thought about how often we disconnect the work of Jesus on the cross from the real pain of life in this fallen world. It seems to me that we too often fail to realize that the problems Judith faced come from the same source which took God to the cross. The cross is not some “thing,” “out there” with no connection to our daily lives. Instead, it stands as God’s cosmic solution to the great rip in the fabric of the whole universe. As such, it speaks to the fears and concerns of every Judith.
Of course, answers as vast as infinity and timeless as eternity can be difficult to work down into and apply to our lives. Since today’s passage deals more with the big picture, I thought I should remind you and me that the cross speaks to the deepest needs of your soul. Please keep in your mind that God loves his people and, at the cross, rescues us from death and judgment to eternal life and joy in his presence forever.
With that on your heart, why does Jesus’ life end at the cross? For thousands of years, God promised Israel a Messiah—a prophet greater than Moses, a priest greater than Melchizedek, a king greater than David. Through brutal wars, terrible trouble, and the misery of the exile, the people hoped for a Redeemer. And as we saw last Sunday, for a few shining moments, the people celebrated Jesus’ arrival and claimed him as the coming King! But that Triumphant Entry was the first day of the last week, a week which would slowly, yet inexorably, walk the Savior to his execution. Why does Jesus’ life end at the cross? John gives at least six reasons:
1. Jesus’ Life Leads to the Cross for God’s Glory (John 12.27-30)
If we skip words like these, we are tempted to imagine that the greatest purpose of the cross is found in us. After all, the Bible teaches that “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5.8). Clearly the cross is the perfect and ultimate expression of divine love. Even so, the grounding goal of the cross is not first our salvation, but God’s glory: “Father, glorify your name.” So how is God glorified in the death of Christ?
* The heinousness of the cross shows the purity and perfection of God’s holiness—he cannot look at wrong, his eyes are too pure to see evil
* The legal fairness of the cross vindicates God’s righteousness and justice: he cannot pass over sin without punishment unless he be corrupt and unfair
* The gift of his own Son as an atonement for sin proves the love God has for his people
* The willingness of Christ to embrace the cross as God’s purpose for his life displays the glory of God in his commandments
Some people see Christ on the cross and think: “Jesus died because God cares about me more than anything. Therefore, I should care about me more than anything. God exists to make much of me.” That is precisely wrong, and such a theology spirals its victims down into a self-focused love leading eventually to despair.
Instead, realize that Jesus died because he cares more about the glory of God than anything else. God saves you so that we can, with Christ, know the joy of making much of him. Or, as John Piper says it: “The greatest news in all the world is that there is no final conflict between my passion for joy and God’s passion for his glory. The knot that ties these together is the truth that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. Jesus Christ died and rose again to forgive the treason of our souls, which have turned from savoring God to savoring self. In the cross of Christ, God rescues us from the house of mirrors and leads us out to the mountains and canyons of his majesty. Nothing satisfies us—or magnifies him—more.”
There is the ultimate reason Christ’s life led to the cross. There are others.
2. Jesus’ Life Leads to the Cross for Satan’s Defeat (John 12.31)
If you have ever taken young children to the zoo, you know that they are sometimes very frightened by the lion prowling around his enclosure and roaring loudly. Sometimes a child will even scream, or run away, though the parent remains calm and unafraid. The difference between a child and his dad in that situation is the young boy sees only the lion, while dad sees also the cage. The cage comforts.
Similarly, this verse offers you much comfort and confidence if you believe Jesus. Until the cross, Satan and his demonic beings held sway over all the earth. Abominable practices such as child sacrifice and cannibalism were widespread. The power of devil worship was real and dangerous. The knowledge of truth and the freedom of grace were severely limited. The world was under the dominion of sin and Satan.
But at the cross, Jesus “disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them” (Colossians 2.15). At the cross, he bruised the head of the serpent. At the cross, victory was won and conquest guaranteed. Christ has bound the strong man, and though he rage and roar, though men quiver before him and still do his bidding, his power has been broken, his reign has ended.
Yes, we must still be careful of him. Those who climb into the lion’s cage find them hungry. But we need not fear his control; we need not listen to his accusations; we need not bow before him. As the hymn states: “Well may the accuser roar, of sins that I have done; I know them all and thousands more, Jehovah knoweth none.” They are gone; Satan cannot charge you, cannot control you.
3. Jesus’ Life Leads to the Cross for the World’s Salvation (John 12.32-36)
For the Jewish people a crucified Messiah was worse than worthless; it was a failure of all they hoped and dreamed. Messiah’s purpose was to seize the throne, to drive out the Romans, and to conquer the promised land. He would be beautiful to the Jewish people, but a harsh and brutal strength against their enemies.
Instead, Jesus “draws” people to himself. Draw is a word of attraction—the sun draws pure water from salty seas and the filthy ponds. Draw is a word of gentle influence—the magnetic force of the unseen and far-distant north pole somehow sways the point of the compass to swing in its direction.
So with Christ. He does not berate you for your failings, or accuse you of your sins. He could—he knows our hearts; he sees our treachery; he feels our faithlessness. But, he is the gentle shepherd, the loving Savior, the living water refreshing your soul. He is the light of the world—there is no darkness in him. There need be no despair for those in the arms of Jesus, nor doubt when facing death. Believe in the light and become sons of light, full of hope for yourself and a dark world.
4. Jesus’ Life Leads to the Cross because of the People’s Rejection (John 12.37-40)
If you read the Old Testament and place yourself in the sandals of the Jews, you may wonder how they could reject Jesus. They were moved by his words, trilled by his miracles, fed by his multiplied bread and fish, satisfied by his wine. But soon they demand his crucifixion. Why? Because they did not believe in Jesus as he was offered in the gospel.
When we know what we want, our hearts rarely accept what God gives. You have had this experience. You look at the spice rack for garlic powder, “knowing” the size and shape and color of the jar it should be in. But the last time your honey bought garlic powder he picked up a different company’s product. So the spice sits in front of your eyes with a label shouting, “Garlic Powder” yet you do not see it.
These people “knew” what Messiah had to look like, and no work of Jesus would change their minds. This is the hardness of our hearts; this is why God must give his Spirit before any believe. This is why salvation is a gift of God’s grace—he must change the heart before the eye can see. Unfortunately for these Jewish people, God confirmed their refusal to believe the signs with a blindness that could not believe.
This is a somber warning to us all. You have before you ample reasons to repent, to return to God. Today is the day of salvation. “‘Yet even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.’ Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster” (Joel 2.12-13).
5. Jesus’ Life Leads to the Cross because of the Leaders’ Fears (John 12.41-43)
Often Christians read these verses and debate whether these leaders were truly converted. Does their belief in him carry the day, or their denial? If God wanted us to know that, he would have told us. John gives you this insight for two reasons.
First, we might wonder whether any Bible scholars recognized Jesus as Messiah. Of course many did not (for reasons we have studied). But should not some serious scholars recognize the Christ? John tells us—yes, absolutely, many did.
Second, why wonder why they did not convince others. That answer is here also—they were afraid. Isaiah saw his glory and spoke of him; these authorities also saw the glory, but they remained silent because a different glory controlled them—the opinions of men. They knew the truth, but the fear of ridicule shut their mouths when they should have witnessed to Jesus.
Are you afraid of being laughed at? Are you worried that an important person will think less of you? Many people are trapped in a terrible predicament: they know too much of the truth to be happy loving the world, and they cling too much to the world to be happy as a faithful disciple.
We do not know the final state of the men in John 12. I do know this: if you find yourself in a similar place, faith is the only cure for your soul. 1John 5.4: “Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”
Make your prayer: “Lord, increase my faith. Make me to believe in the joy of knowing Jesus.”
6. Jesus’ Life Leads to the Cross because of the Coming Judgment (John 12.44-50)
Many people pretend this life is all there is, that we live for a few years, then pass into nothingness. They know as well as you do that such is a lie created to salve a fear of life. Our souls are alive, and after the body goes to the grave, the soul faces God. On that final day, only one thing will matter.
Happiness is being in the presence of God forever and ever. He is the source and goal of all things, because in him is the fullness of joy. But only those who are good are able to stand the burning brightness of joy. That is why eternal happiness depends on eternal holiness. God is separate from all sin and evil which guarantees that he is fully happy. If you want to enter joy, you must be holy.
So the one thing that matters is this: do you stand before God because you are good, or because Jesus is good? In whom is your faith? Whose glory controls your witness?
7. Conclusion
Kent Hughes tells the story of the little boy who so wanted a model sailboat. So he began saving his money until finally he had enough. He went to the toy shop and picked out his kit, making his selection with great care. He spent weeks perfecting that boat, and finally when it was finished, he took it down to the lake. It sailed beautifully—right across the lake and out of sight. Naturally the young boy was distressed and began a frantic search. But despite his efforts he was unable to find his boat. Several weeks later he was walking past a store window and to his amazement saw his boat with a sizable price tag attached to it. He went in and told the owner, “Sir, I would like to have my boat back.” The owner said, “Well, I’m sorry, but I paid good money for it. You will have to pay for it.” That poor boy worked and worked until he finally got enough money together, again, and bought his boat back. As he walked out of the store, he said, “Now you are twice mine—once because I made you and once because I bought you.”
Jesus created you, and he purchased you by his death on the cross, so that we can be twice his. You think about how wonderful is the love of Jesus!
