“IF I BE LIFTED UP”
Jn. 12:32
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. A man had a heart attack and was brought to the ER. The doctor told him that he wouldn’t live unless he got a heart transplant right away.
2. Another doctor ran into the room and said, "You're in luck, two hearts just became available, so you will get to choose which one you want. One belongs to an attorney and the other to a social worker".
3. The man responded quickly, "the attorney's". The doctor says, "Wait! Don't you want to know a little about them before you make your decision?"
4. The man says, "I already know enough. We all know that social workers are bleeding hearts and the attorney probably never used his. So I'll take the attorney's!"
B. TEXT
“Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself” Jn. 12:31-32.
C. THESIS
1. This morning, we are going to look at three ways we’re supposed to lift up Jesus; His uniqueness, His Cross, and the great Love He demonstrated.
2. The title of this message is, “If I Be Lifted Up.”
I. LIFTING UP JESUS’ UNIQUENESS
A. THE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT
1. Our society says about RELIGIONS, "All religions are speaking about the same God; Let's overlook our differences and only focus on our similarities: Moses, Mohammed, Buddha, Chrishna, Jesus – it’s all the same!"
2. But I answer, “Put Jesus on par with anyone else? Impossible!” Jesus’ origin, sinlessness, deity, and resurrection separates Him from all the rest. Jesus said, "And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto Me!" We’re not to lift up denominations, or teachings only, or personalities, but Jesus!
B. LIFT JESUS UP!
1. Greek for "lifted" = (root) hupso-o -- "to elevate."
2. To "lift up" is to "draw attention to," "make obvious," "make visible" in comparison to other objects of faith. We have all been brainwashed that we must be tolerant -- don't offend anybody! But...
3. Throughout the Bible, God showed He was really God, over other deities:
a. In Egypt – God sent plagues on the gods of Egypt; Nile, bugs, cattle…. God howed His control over them.
b. Philistines – God made Dagon fall before the Ark.
c. Over Babylon – God thru Isaiah taunted deity Bel-Marduk
d. Ephesus -- over Artemis/ Diana of the Ephesians, God moved mighty healing, delivering, & saving through Paul.
e. Book of Hebrews -- the writers showed the superiority of Christianity over Judaism:
1). A Better Hope (7:19), based on
2). Better Promises (8:6), because of a
3). Better Sacrifice (9:23), initiating a
4). Better Covenant (8:6), administered by a
5). Better High Priest (7:24) ensuring our
6). Better Resurrection (11:35).
4. We should draw attention to the difference! A Calcutta paper carried the story of how a Hindu came to the house of a missionary for an interview. In the course of the conversation, he said: "Many things which Christianity contains I find in Hinduism; but there is one thing which Christianity has that Hinduism has not." "What is that?" the missionary asked. His reply was striking: "A Savior."
5. There is NO SAVIOR in Islam, Hinduism, Confucianism, or Buddhism!
C. DON’T WATER JESUS DOWN!
1. If you water gasoline down, it ceases to be explosive -- it becomes useless for running your car.
2. If you reduce the active ingredients in pain killers, they no longer relieve the pain of the sufferers.
3. If you put too much carbonated water or less syrup in fountain drinks they lose their appeal and flavor. TO REDUCE THE KEY INGREDIENT IN OUR PRODUCTS MAKES
THEM LOSE THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTION! The PRIMARY FUNCTION of Christianity is to Save, Heal, and Deliver!
4. Christianity won't work without its key ingredient -- Jesus Christ (Raw, Pure, Unadulterated!) He must be lifted up – made visible, drawn attention to, exalted to the proper place, shown as Superior and needful!
II. LIFTING UP THE CROSS OF JESUS
1. In Galatians 6:14, Paul said, “But God forbid that I should glory [boast], save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”
2. Paul didn't say, "we don't glory, save in the death of Christ," but the cross of Christ; an unusual distinction.
A. THINGS THE WORLD DOESN’T LIKE ABOUT THE CROSS
a. In 1 Cor. 1:23, Paul said the cross was a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to gentiles. The root of the word translated “foolishness” is the same Greek word from which we get our English word moron.
b. So, the world thinks that if we trust in the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ – that makes us morons. So why does the world not like the Cross?
1. BECAUSE IT WAS BARBARIC
a. Imagine wearing an emblem of a miniature electric chair, or a hangman’s noose! That’s what the cross symbolized – a shameful execution. A family naturally shrinks from the thought that one of its members had been executed for a crime.
b. A prominent family decided to do a history of its ancestors. They commissioned a professional biographer for to do the work, carefully warning him of the families "black sheep" problem: Uncle George had been executed in the electric chair for murder. The biographer assured the family, "I can handle that situation is so there will be no embarrassment. I'll merely say that Uncle George occupied a chair of applied electronics at an important government institution. He was attached to his position by the strongest of ties and his death came as a real shock."
c. But Paul would not "cloak it," rather he glories in
"the cross."
2. IT REMINDS US OF OUR SIN
a. People don’t like to hear that it’s our sin that made the cross necessary. Your sin; my sin. Romans tells us that all have sinned – that’s offensive. We want to hear about how good we are. We want to hear about how great is our potential for our future.
b. Over 80% of Americans think their good works will get them to heaven. They can’t imagine their lying, cheating on taxes, infidelity, and bad attitudes could possibly be sins and end up condemning them.
c. One poll found that less than 4% of Americans think they could end up in Hell. “Good people” are offended when they are told that in God’s sight they are more evil than they would ever dare imagine. So they end up calling Christians judgmental. The cross speaks of the seriousness of our sin.
3. IT REMINDS US WE CAN’T SAVE OURSELVES
a. In the message of the cross, it’s clear that not only are we sinners, but there’s nothing we can do to save ourselves. No one wants to throw themselves on the mercy of the court.
b. Americans have the “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps” philosophy; the Protestant work ethic. We succeed by our own efforts.
c. If we’d admit it, we all want control. We like to think we’re in control. But the message of the cross says we’re absolutely helpless. That thought is difficult for us to accept.
4. BECAUSE IT’S TOO SIMPLE
Charles Spurgeon pointed out another problem with the cross: it’s too simple. We like complicated things, the newest technology, intricate things. The cross is just too simplistic.
5. THE CROSS DOES NOT RECOGNIZE CLASS DISTINCTIONS
a. The cross is offensive because it makes moral and immoral persons go to heaven by the same road; the cross makes rich and poor enter heaven by the same door; the cross makes the philosopher and peasant walk on the same highway of holiness.
b. Therefore, the wise man says, “What! am I to be
saved by the same cross which saves a man who doesn’t even know the alphabet?” The very rich and sophisticated lady asks, “Am I to be saved in the same fashion as my servant-girl?”
c. The middle-class moral person says, “What! Am I to walk beside a prostitute and a drunkard on the road to heaven?” YES! We’re all equal at the Cross!
B. THE CONQUERING POWER OF THE CROSS
1. Walter Beckworth of was a famous lion trainer.
a. One time he tried to change the nature of some lion cubs by feeding them only milk. When they were 10 months old, something happened which shot down his theory.
b. His wife called him and said, "Look at the Cubs." He looked out the window to see a donkey eating some grass and the milk-fed young lions stalking toward it.
c. Suddenly one lion pounced, threw the donkey to the ground, and sunk its fangs into its jugular vein. Despite its pampered treatment, it's lion’s nature asserted itself.
d. We also have a fallen nature. No outward efforts can change it. It takes the power of the cross to replace it with Christ’s nature.
2. But the Cross of Jesus can change us!
a. Missionary George Brown was asked, "Give us proof of the transforming power of the cross." He replied, "When I arrived in the Fiji Islands, my first duty was to be bury the hands, arms, feet, and hearts of 80 victims whose bodies had been roasted and eaten at a cannibal feast.
b. I lived to see those very cannibals, who had taken part in such horrible feasts, gathered about the Lord's table.”
III. LIFTING UP THE LOVE OF CHRIST
A. THE GREATEST LOVE
1. The Lord Jesus demonstrated his love many ways. He showed His love by coming to earth. He lovingly fed the hungry, healed the sick, and raised the dead. He was loving during his whole life. But Oh! His death demonstrated how surpassing his love is for us.
2. “Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay
down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” John 15:13-14. Going to the cross was the greatest sacrifice of love any human could ever have shown us! Jesus did!
B. LOVE GIVES ALL
1. On August 16, 1987, Northwest Airlines flight 225 crashed just after taking off from the Detroit airport, killing 155 people. One survived: a four year old from Tempe, Arizona, named Cecilia.
2. News accounts say that when rescuers found Cecelia they did not believe she had been on the plane. Investigators first assumed Cecelia had been a passenger in one of the cars on the highway onto which the airliner crashed. But when the passenger register for the flight was checked, there was Cecelia’s name.
3. Cecilia survived because, even as the plane was falling, Cecilia’s mother, Paula Chican, unbuckled her own seatbelt, got down on her knees in front of her daughter, wrapped her arms and body around Cecelia, and would not let her go.
4. Nothing could separate that child from her parent’s love – neither tragedy nor disaster, neither the fall nor the flames that followed, neither height nor depth, neither life nor death. Such is the love of our Savior for us. He left heaven, lowered himself to us, and covered us with the sacrifice of his own body to save us.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. Is Jesus just another religious leader or prophetic voice? No! He’s called “Emmanuel,” “God with us,” Matt. 1:23. Jesus is Eternal according to Micah 5:2; He’s the Life of God according to 1 John 5:11-12; and God the Father raised Him from the dead to declare Him the one and only Savior of the world (Rom. 1:4).
2. Very few ever get entrance to Buckingham Palace or have an audience with the King/Queen. Once when King Edward VII reigned in England, He and his queen were out walking in the country late one afternoon when suddenly she stumbled and sprained an ankle. In great pain, and with considerable difficulty, she limped along, holding to her husband's shoulder.
3. At dusk, they approached the home of a humble man.
The King knocked on the door. "Who's there?" came the query. "It is Edward. It is the King. Let me in." The man inside shouted back, "Enough of your pranks now. Be off..." the King again said, "I tell you that is the King! It is Edward, your King. Let me in."
4. In anger the man shouted, "I'll teach you to torment an honest man trying to get his sleep. "He threw open the door in disgust, only to see that indeed it was his King! With profuse apologies the laborer invited the royal visitors in and sent for help to attend the Queen.
5. Years later, when the Britisher was too old to work, he would spend much time rocking on the porch and visiting with neighbors. He took great delight in reviewing that experience, always concluding with the same words: "And to think, to think, I almost didn't let him in!"
6. I wonder how many of us might miss heaven, and forever wish we had let Jesus into our hearts and lives!
B. A PASTOR SAVED BY HIS OWN SERMON
1. A Christian asked his Pastor to preach on the verse, “Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” Mt. 18:3. He agreed. As he prepared the sermon, he asked,
a. “WHAT IS CONVERSION?” It must be complete change of heart, a translation from one life to another.
b. “HOW was I converted?” Well, I don’t know, I don’t remember that happening.
c. “WHEN was I converted?” As a child? No. Teenager? No. Young adult? I can’t remember.
d. “WHERE was I converted?” At home? At church?
2. Suddenly it hit him: I’m trying to tell others how to be converted and I’ve never been converted! So he got on his knees and asked Jesus to convert him into a new and forgiven person, and he was!
3. Many sit in churches and have felt the presence of the Holy Spirit – but that’s not conversion! They have felt convicted for their sins – but that’s not conversion!
4. Conversion is when you realize you’re a sinner and are going to hell unless Jesus saves you from your sins. You humble yourself, come to the front, and surrender your life to Jesus and ask Him to wash you in His blood and make you a new creature by His divine life coming
into your heart. Ask him to live in you from now on!
C. THE CALL
1. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this; that a man lay down His life for His friends, and you are my friends…” Jn. 15:13. Jesus has a greater love for you than anyone else you’ve ever know. He proved it by dying in your place.
2. Rev. 3:20. And call to recommit to Christ.
