Lead Me To The Cross

“Lead Me The Cross”

Text: John 12

Subject: How does John prepare us to believe in Jesus of Nazareth?

Complement: he moves us to the centrality of the cross

Big idea: “Belief in Jesus follows the way of the cross”

In the Gospel of John, we encounter a first-person, eye-witness account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth. A number of powerful scenes are described by John, the beloved disciple, to build his case for the uniqueness and divinity of Jesus of Nazareth and ask each of you to also believe in Jesus.

John the disciple has spent most of his adult life trying to live up to his weighty calling.

It all started beside the Sea of Galilee. John, and his brother James, were going about their day and minding their own business. The business of fish – catching and selling; repairing nets and staying one step ahead of the unruly weather, the reckless Romans and the condemnation of the fanatical but phoney Pharisees.

One day, Jesus walked along the Galilean seashore, slowed down as he approached their boat, and said in a direct and straight forward manner to John and James, “follow me.” I’m fishing for people and I could use your help. John, I need a good strong first mate.”

And that was it. John, and his brother James, left their nets and their Dad behind, and took up a second career. Life was never quite the same after that.

John is now an old man; not too old that he can’t remember but old enough that he’s had time to reflect. Jesus has risen from the grave and triumphantly ascended to heaven. John’s decided – with the Spirit’s prompting, that it's high time he wrote some things down; an account of his grand adventure with Jesus of Nazareth. Scholars like to refer to him as John, the evangelist. And rightly so – his gospel has an evangelistic purpose.

And what John cannot shake off is that most compelling of questions; ... some people believe what Jesus says and some don’t. For John, it's hard to imagine anyone not believing in Jesus, given the facts.

You see, John is interested in giving people a reason to believe. Not a reason to disbelieve, but a reason to believe. The kind of belief that grips your inner soul and your whole heart. A life-changing belief. The kind of life changing belief that John himself has.

And so his writes this gospel – a kind of pamphlet you might say. It's not a complete biography. It's not even a well-rounded synopsis of Jesus ministry. Matthew, Mark and Luke have done a beautiful job of that.

John’s approach is to give a heavy dose of the most important scenes and the most important claims in the life of Jesus. And almost half of John’s essay will focus on the last week of Jesus life. That’s where the narrative slows way down. Because that, he recognizes, is the crux of the issue for belief. What happens to Jesus at the end of his life – is he a failure and a fraud; or is he bigger than death itself. That’s the question.

Death, the great enemy of humanity, has never lost a round. His batting average (anyone missing baseball?) is 1,000. Or more simply stated 100% of us will die.

With this being Palm Sunday, our text is John 12 ,and it's several overtures of what is to come.

John’s narrative is intended to strengthen belief.

In the midst of the global pandemic, billions of people suddenly need to re-examine that question.

What can we believe in?

Where do I find hope?

What’s going to happen... economically, politically, socially?

So John writes with this singular focus. “these things are written 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).

...Where are you today in the matter of belief in Jesus?

Chapter 12 follows the raising of Lazarus in Chapter 11- an event that foreshadows Jesus own raising from the tomb... the narrative is moving toward the climax at Calvary.

The opening scene occurs in Bethany. The time is noted – it's now 6 days till Passover. Jesus will be crucified on Passover because he is the Passover lamb. The one who makes atonement for our sins. We are in the final week of Jesus life. We now call it holy week.

A celebration dinner has been organized to thank Jesus for raising Lazarus. Martha, being Martha, serves the food; she clearly has the gift or hospitality and she’s a type A personality. (anybody recognize the profile?) Lazarus, we are told, is simply reclining at the table; sounds rather ordinary doesn’t it – for a man who spent 4 days in grave clothes!