Why Don’t People Believe In Jesus?”

"Why Don’t People Believe In Jesus?”

John 12: 37-50

This morning’s text brings us to the end of the public ministry of Jesus and forces us to examine the question, “Why didn’t more people believe and accept Jesus as the Messiah when He came?” Sure, He had a few faithful followers, but even the inner circle of Twelve were not very solid. Judas would betray Him; Peter would deny Him and they all would desert Him in His time of great-est need.

For most of us as Christians today, we have accepted the fact that the Church is composed of mostly Gentiles. But for the Apostles it was much more difficult. They knew that the Jews were God’s chosen people and that God had sent His Messiah to them. So why didn’t the Jews welcome Jesus? This was a problem that the Apostle Paul said that caused him “great sorrow and unceasing grief” (Romans 9:2). Paul devoted Romans chapter nine through eleven to answering the question, “Why had Israel rejected Jesus?” Paul struggled with understanding why his people who had been entrusted with the Word of God, who were God’s chosen people, who were actively looking for the coming of the Messiah, fail to recognize that Jesus was the answer.

In this text John is doing his part to deal with this question. His answer is not as comprehensive as Paul’s, but both clearly emphasize God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility.

Let me set the stage by backing up just a bit to our last text in John where we were told that people did not believe in Jesus because they rejected the light they were given. In verse thirty-five we read, “Then Jesus said to them, ‘A little while long-er the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. (36) While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.”

Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12) He exhorted the Jews to believe in Him and receive the light while they had the opportunity, but because they did not believe, He went away and “hid Him-self” – ended his public ministry (v. 36).

But why would people reject the light of God? John answered that question previously in John 3:19-20, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (20) For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”

People did not appreciate that the light exposed their sins, (and still don’t) because they loved their sin. Paul said something similar in his letter to the church in Rome. In Romans 1:18-21, he shows that God has clearly revealed his eternal power and divine nature through creation. But because people do not want to be accountable to God for their sin, they suppress or hold down the truth of God as the Creator of all things and choose to believe in ridiculous and unsubstantiated myths so that they can continue in their sin.

Now beginning in verse thirty-seven we read, “But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, (38) that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"(39) Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: (40) "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them." (41) These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him. (42) Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;(43)

for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. (44) Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. (45) And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. (46) I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.(47) And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. (48) He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. (49) For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. (50) And I know that His command is ever-lasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."