"The Attractive Nature Of Christ's Death” Series

 200415.ser

“The Attractive Nature of Christ’s Death”

CLBC March 21, 2004 a.m.

Subject: The death of Christ

Theme: The Means of Bringing the Gospel to the World

Passage: John 12: 20 - 36

Their coming appears to have been a signal to Jesus.

In preparation for Easter, I have been preaching to you about “The Liberating Purpose of Christ’s Death”, that his death set slaves from the bondage of sin; “The Voluntary Nature of Christ’s Death” that his life was freely laid down for us according to an eternal plan to save His people ; and about “The Substitutionary Nature of Christ’s Death” that in his death he bore our griefs; our sorrows; our transgressions; our iniquities; our peace. Now this morning, I want to speak to you about “The Attractive Nature of Christ’s Death”

It was the week of Passover, and Jesus had come back to Jerusalem after a few months of quiet ministry in outlying areas. He came to Bethany to the house of Mary and Martha. Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead, was there, and Mary anointed his feet with a pound of precious perfume. When Judas Iscariot complained about the waste, Jesus rebuked him. “Let her

alone; she has kept this for the day of my burial.”

And then in John12:20 we read that “certain Greeks came to Phillip and said, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” and their coming appears to have been a signal which Jesus was expecting.

I suggest to you that

1. The coming of these Gentiles was a signal that the hour of His Passion had come. 12: 23 - 29

2. The coming of these Gentiles was a signal that the time for the overthrow of Satan’s kingdom had come. 12: 31

3. The coming of the Gentiles was a signal that the time for the spread of Christ’s gospel to the whole world had come. 12:32

1. The coming of these Gentiles was a signal that the hour of His Passion had come. 12: 23 - 29

a. His hour had come. v. 23

“My hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified.” Imagine using that term for what was about to happen. You folk who saw the Passion movie, would you describe what you saw as Jesus being glorified? I doubt that you would use that expression. Jesus was under no delusions about what was about to happen. Over and over again he had told the disciples that he

was going to die. So if he knew that he was going to die and had some understanding of the brutal nature of the trial and the scourgings, and the crucifixion, how would he describe what was coming as being glorified?

I believe the answer lies in the fact that he never saw the crucifixion as separated from his

resurrection and the result which would come from his Passion.

Luke 9:22 saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day." Luke 18:31 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.

Luke 18:32 "For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. Luke 18:33 "They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again."

Look at the next verse in John 12: 34 "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.”

In this little parable, you can see again that he clearly sees the relation between his death (like a grain of wheat that falls into the ground and dies) and the results that would be produced by his death

(if it dies it produces much grain.)

b. His soul was troubled 12: 27

As Jesus sensed that his hour had come, he also began to feel the pressure of His coming death.

John 12:27 "Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.”

Is this not the same thing which he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane? “Father if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not my will but Thy will be done”

There was no escaping the cross for Jesus. I believe that Jesus could already feel the sin of the world pressing in upon Him in all its horror. Yet He cries out to His Father, “Father glorify Your name!”

And now comes that phenomena that was repeated three times during the earthly life of Jesus. A voice spoke from heaven, “I have both glorified it and I will glorify it again.”