Today we will continue to examine the statements that Jesus began in verse 23 with the words: Jesus replied, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” How strange it must have seemed that Jesus brought forth these words in response to Philip and Andrew bringing the request for a personal visit with Jesus by a group of Greek visitors to Jerusalem. But not strange at all in the light of what we have seen taking place over the past two chapters in which John outlines again and again how mis-understood and even non-understood Jesus’ had been by all those around him. They were looking at a singular, Jewish interpretation of the Messiah. Jesus would not fulfill their expectations. As a result they were missing Him and misunderstanding everything He was preaching to them. They had missed the Messiah because their unregenerate, dead nature was blinding them. They were yet dead in trespasses and sins.
However, even though His listeners did not understand the true nature of His words, Jesus non-the-less thundered them forth. Who were these words for? They were for those who would believe, those who would be awakened, made alive, regenerated, those who would be born of the Spirit through new birth. He was setting His sights to the crescendo of His life work: being glorified, lifted up upon the cross in order to drawl all men unto Himself.
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September 14, 2014 | Pastor John Bayles | Marching to the Cross: Serving the True Master | John 12:26-43
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