When The Clock Struck Glory Series

If you knew your time on earth was winding down, I think you might say some meaningful things to those you love. Jesus spent around forty months publicly teaching. Now, Jesus speaks in what was to be His next-to-last sermon that He will deliver in His life.

The date is Sunday, March 29, 33 AD. It’s likely that it is Palm Sunday when our story happens.

Today’s Scripture

“Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them” (John 12:20-36).

This marks the fortieth message in the series on the Gospel of John.

Moving through a book of the Bible is a time-honored practice that generations of believers have practiced for centuries.

So, we return back to the gospel of John today.

We began our study of the Gospel of John in late 2023.

An accountant will implement internal controls to ensure a business prevents fraud. A nurse will double-check before administering medicine. A building inspector will ensure that a building adheres to building codes to ensure that fires are rare. Just as this, a pastor walks through a book in the Bible, so the Bible takes over our minds and hearts.

Many believers and many churches seek to pick and choose the passages of the Bible that confirm our beliefs. But slowly moving through an entire book of the Bible will conform our beliefs to the mind of God. Look forward to studying the gospel of John for much of this year and the early part of next.

Sermon Preview

1. Look What Time It Is

2. Sense What’s Happening

3. Feel What’s at Stake

1. Look What Time It Is

“And Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified’” (John 12:23).

On the surface, some people wish to meet Jesus and approach His disciples to secure a meeting. These Greeks approach Philip, and he, in turn, approaches Andrew, who both go to Jesus. Philip and Andrew are two of Jesus’ twelve disciples. They are the only two disciples with Greek names, so it’s natural that the Greeks approach them, hoping for an audience with Jesus. When these Greeks want to meet Jesus, we would expect Jesus to say something to the effect, “I’d love to meet these men.”

1.1 My Hour Has Come!

Instead, Jesus seemingly looks at an invisible watch on his wrist to announce to all, “My hour has come.”1 In fact, verse 23 could be translated this way: “It has arrived!” with an exclamation point at the end.2 The very first word out of Jesus’ mouth in the original is the word “arrive.” Just as Jesus shouted from the cross, “It is finished,” Jesus now shouts, “It’s here! My time has come!”3