John Chapter 12:27-37

As you go through Alaska cashier, how you doing Hannah's life is all great gutsy be listening say all you know what I should like that but now I have hope in Jesus is another opportunity to be a light to is been said like I like the little story that you know that when Jesus went back up to heaven, and Angel said all right that's awesome you died for their sins and everything you know what's next in Jesus's lower left those 11 guys down there and they're gonna go tell everybody the angel to rigors those 11 have Jesus good. The angel goes what's plan B. Jesus turns and says there is no Jesus has given us a message of hope of forgiveness offer the peace entrusted us with an understanding of the gospel and we need to share the welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina, DA Brown, one of David McGee's associate pastors is here with us in the studio today who was supposed to be in full-time ministry. Everyone who follows Jesus right answer DA now here's the deal with this teaching and placing the cross. So let's pick it up with verse 27 of John chapter 12 is 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 out Jesus as you remember, he's in the temple. Still, he's interacting with both the disciples and the public. And he again is talking about his death and he's not only predicting his death, but he's predicting the way that he's going to die and Jesus remember it you know and and we talked about verse 26 last week.

In verse 26 it says anyone serves me, when, and follow me and I want to be a follower of Jesus and look where Jesus is leading to because he saying you know what do I run away from this trouble so he saying Jesus is embracing the cross again.

Your attention Jesus wasn't the victim of some political conspiracy all in some ways he was. But that's not how he wound up on the cross. The cross was a plan as a matter fact, what were to see later in next chapter were to see that Jesus actually turned up the timetable of when he was going to the cross, Jesus was in charge, or any he willingly laid his life down. He didn't run from resistance. He didn't run from tribulation. He embraced the mission he came for first life lesson. There is no crown without the cross. There is no crown without the cross what we've tried to do in some areas of the church today is removes the cross, the word of God says that the cross is foolishness to those who perish, but it still stands for what we believe now I think in some ways we got. I have drifted from what the cross really mean the cross is a place of sacrifice, a place of pain, a place of death. I think sometimes we forget that there is no crown without the cross.

If you remember, that's part of what Satan's temptation.

The Jesus was. I'll give you the world and you don't have to go to the cross sheet. There are things that we must would usually pick up our cross daily and carry out and so those cannot stand for the cross transfer tribulations for dying to ourselves to dying to our selfishness and living for him and and let me help you out. Just because every now and again I hear somebody say this you know that talk about their wife or their husband and they said was is just milk roasted beer that is so not your cross to bear.

As a matter fact, when you say that to somebody you're really letting everybody know that your spouse has a cross to bear in is you, so don't say that. Don't say it's it's tribulation it's it's these things that resistance in the Christian life and we have that and you can either just freak out every time it happens, you can grow through. You can grow through. To be honest I used to get freaked out and it certainly in a traveling minister going in around on the road you a lot of stuff just goes wrong mean in life stuff goes wrong, but you know when you're traveling on the road all the time didn't have much out here it goes wrong it like 60 miles an hour all the dogs and so there were times in and to be honest, you know, in the beginning of the season I would get anxious and then God would come through and I would feel silly for being anxious and I just got so tired of feeling silly when God came through. Don't be fair weather Christian and a sense of why mom walk with Jesus as long as things go well, I'm walking with Jesus. As long as things don't happen when it hold on to Jesus ever seen a bulldog with the with little chew toy you're not getting that you toy unless you want you to have that you to because his jaws are just there law is a matter fact they've they've had instances in and when. But when bullfrogs please pray for me bulldog their findings. They've had instances where they actually had the Prather job was a part to get to know. At least that's the kind of hold. I want to have all Jesus were some I would have to pull me away from Jesus on hold known so tenaciously get a hold on Jesus and keep Jesus. Verse 28 father, glorify your name and a voice came from heaven saying I have both glorified it, and will glorified again. Therefore, the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Another said an angel spoke to him. But Jesus in verse 30 Jesus answered, since this voice did not come because of me, but for your sake. See the reason the voice came was so that people would hear and people with bear witness.

It was father God given approval of God the son and see there's a lot of things that happened in the life of Jesus that happened for the benefit of those around to see.

It's like the stone and I've mentioned this before, but if you ever thought about why was the stone rolled away the stone didn't need to be rolled away so Jesus could get out. That's bad theology.

You know when I'm at now and I've seen the pictures of the little angels and only move the stone and then Jesus comes that that's kind of a weird picture because Jesus is not like in the tomb, you know, I live waiting going for my Riverstone again get out. He's not.

He wasn't in there doing that he was risen in power and glory. The stone got moved away so people could see to see that the tomb was empty at the pleasure of going to the garden tomb in Jerusalem and I can verify its NDE's not in their now it came to build the faith of the people around you know one thing that build your faith in the word of God tells us Romans chapter 10 verse 17 says so then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. This simple verse with a simple verse. It's amazing to me that more fellowships, more churches, more people don't focus on the word of God because this build your faith has so many people, mainly go you know what I was late stagnant as a Christian I wasn't grown and grown in 10 years and have grown more here in three months or six months or one year, two years that I have anywhere else in my life to God be the glory. It's because you're eating good food that we tell our kids that right you got a good food to grow. I mean if they were always eaten cotton candy and ice because things are nicer and elegant, but if they were always eaten. We go, you can't do that. It won't you won't grow like we eat good food here if you want to grow you want your face to increase hear the word of God here the word of God him and we've done a lot of things to help you to hear the word of God hereby put in. Like the teachings are online to bless you guys and I were doing the television or radio thing. Why so people can hear the word of God, because as you hear the word of God you grow in your face when you don't hear the word of God you Windsor you with her. If you've been a through a season of weathering grab hold of the word of God and with her no more a man, Jesus continues in verse 31 and he says now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out and die if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to myself. This, he said, signifying, but by what death he would the victory that Jesus one on the cross is complete. It is complete. He is still allowing the enemy ruler of this world, if you will to operate for the moment, but at some point in the future that all stops that all stops and aren't you glad enemies still operating.

But it is on borrowed time and again Jesus here is predicting not only his death, but the way he's going to death on the cross cross will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown hey Bob were excited about all the people were tuning in today and we want to take a minute to pray for the listening audience is in the cities, Hamburg, Indiana, Cherokee, Iowa, Creston, Des Moines, Marshalltown, also in Kansas, Emporia and Hutchinson God, we thank you for everyone tuning in today though we pray that they would be ready for you to speak to them.

Lord is summer sick. We pray that you please heal them and golly pray for the pastors and churches in this area. The churches will be reignited in their faith, Lord, that they would turn to you with all her heart, soul and strength to love their community and Lord that these passes would be reminded. You have called them you are going to bless the work that you've called them to do and that they would not grow weary in doing good in Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse 34. The people answered him, we have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever and how can you say the Son of Man must be lifted up, who is the Son of Man now understand Christ that I know we think of that as the name of Jesus that wasn't really the name of Jesus. That was a title for Jesus that word Christ in the Greek is Christos or the anointed one. Okay, so Jesus was his name Christ was his title if you will. So when they say we've heard from the law that the Christ remains forever. That's not necessarily his name.

It's the title that the reason they say the Son of Man must be lifted up, who is the Son of Man, you know, it's awesome. Jesus referred to himself as the Son of Man, more than any other title what you think about this from this is the son of God, Creator of the universe and the title. He uses more than any other 87 times in the four Gospels is the Son of Man is humbling to me. You know what because he's identifying himself with us he's identifying himself with eyes.

That's an amazing think think of what Jesus could have said, think of the things he could've said you know he could have been an end and we have a way of kinda working these ways into our speech knowingly. What we do, how we do it, no sorts of things Jesus could've said you know I have the ruler of this world, which by the way, my data created. You know he's on the way out and you know me I Creator through now and I've been here long time and you know my dad is he doesn't want because I would put distance between him and us, but rather he uses the term the Son of Man to identify that it was 100% God hundred percent man boy that's humbling in because so many times we say things to impress people that are necessary to put distance between us and them don't see their confusion is in the Hebrew Scriptures in the Old Testament. Jesus is prophesied as coming as the lion and is the Lamb and some of the people were looking for him to become an is a lion.

This time will last time the first time he came he came as the Lamb to slaughter when he returns he will return as a lion of Judah, but they were looking for this and so they were there was some confusion and they didn't really understand the Scriptures.

Matthew 2229 since Jesus answered and said unto them, you do air, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God and this is what's really happening in this instance is there airing because they don't know the Scriptures they have forgotten such passages as Isaiah 53 which Jesus is can read a quote from in a minute and they forgotten those things in the air and you know what a lot of error that we have a lot of error that comes into the church comes because we don't know the book anymore. We don't know this Bible said it before and I'll say it again. Take the time to read because he took the time to bleed and we need to know this book because when we get out of this book we get into air and out of the last 2000 years since this canon was completed, we are probably living in the most scripturally illiterate generation of Christians ever. We just don't know the Bible we just don't know about. Now, if you're no believer can understand this understand that you know you just came to the Lord and and dear dear God, other night sitting on new to this whole Bible thing and you know I've been here few weeks. I'm loving it because you actually teach the Bible's praise God he got saved here few weeks ago. I understand that but what I don't understand is when a believer is been a believer for five, 10 years 15 years 20 years doesn't know the Bible doesn't know the Bible was written and read about Joseph know that I see anything in there about Mary who were worried about in Genesis was a different Joseph. That's not to is not like to think we need to know this Bible we need to know this book we need to be digging it while because it will keep you out of error and it's a supernatural book that can separate you from your sin and amazing think it's been said that this book will keep you from sinners, and will keep you from this book.

But we need to be in the Bible because to see the Holy Spirit in the holy word will help to keep us out of error. You know I'm teaching verse by verse chapter for Chuck I'm not leaving anything out you understand what that now. I mean anybody can get wacky okay but you know what it helps happen now.

There is all it's it's almost impossible for me to take a couple Scriptures, one from here when from over there, one from over here and twist them and try to make trying to see what I can get him to say I don't do that to because if I took a verse I said well this means this and next verses would only one mean it wouldn't say exactly that. But you know it would it would point towards that's not the interpretation, I'm in trouble, but because we teach line upon line, precept upon precept, there's a safety in their there's a safety and verse 35 says then Jesus said to them a little while longer. The light is with you.

Walk while you have the light less darkness overtake you, he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going while you have the right believe in the light, that you may become sons of light these things Jesus spoke and departed and was hidden from them.

I mentions children of the light, who is the light nice is an interesting thing John chapter 9 verse five Jesus says, as long as I am in the world I am the light of the world. But when Jesus ascended to heaven we became his lights. Matthew chapter 5 verse 14 says you are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. It's important for us to be lights in the dark world to be sources of hope and love in a world it's dark and fearful and scary and hurting. We need to shine forth in this in this world talk about some because I hear people say that sometimes it was a well mine is a silent witness. I just prefer to let my light shine yet well in love mean to hurt your feelings or anything.

The problem with that little strategy is your light is not that bright. Okay I mean it's not like people are going to watch you in and get you know a look at the glow. He's glowing. There's something about him. Why do you have that glow and I think that doesn't happen. That doesn't happen, and I know there's truth in and I think it was was at Augustine nursing friend.

Somebody said you know it preach the gospel of necessary use words that's kinda cool, meaning live out the gospel and I like that saying and to some degree agree with that site. Problem is, you still have to communicate to somebody how they get saved you have to tell him you have to talk to.

So let your light shot one of things you can do this is a great way to open up a conversation when you talk so you know what might work to my score so you know what you do know that I'm a believer yeah yeah yeah you go to church know things important to you. What is it that you think that I believe I'm just curious what your perception of what you think.

I believe this and listen carefully to their answer is a couple things happen when you do this, number one, and still you talking it's them.

Talk your listening and so often were so busy trying to tell people about what we believe were not listening to what they're saying. We've got a monologue on what should be a dialogue and when you say okay what is it you think that I believe in, and they may think you believe weird stuff. Well you somebody go snatch about their the headers on my don't know what are you using in and in and in her that's not what sets characters and would only that's here's what we hear is what I believe in a sauce opportunity for you to share with them exactly what you believe but the lights and understand every body in here that knows Jesus is supposed to be shared with other people and maybe sooner going on in her. That's your job.

Frustrated and and and and and and not according to Ephesians 4 answers to equip you guys to do the work of the ministry do the work of the ministry.

I'm not in the ministry.

Yes you are. Are you should be anyway masculine. Do you know Jesus, do you if you're in here and you know Jesus, guess what, you're in full-time ministry you are inside know we use that term for those who vocationally are doing something in a church or something, but you understand all of us are supposed to be in full-time ministry, always looking for an opportunity to share and if you're open.

It's amazing the opportunities that God will create for you if you're listening as you go through Alaska cashier, how you doing and it's a good life is kinda hard right now all great gutsy be listening say all you know what I should like that but now I have hope in Jesus as another opportunity to be a light to the world because the life lesson here is we are to be lights to our community into our world.

This is God's plan is been said account like the little story that you know that when Jesus went back up to heaven, and Angel said all right that's awesome you died for their sins and everything you know what's next Jesus as well. Left those 11 guys down there and they're gonna go tell everybody the angel observer goes, those 11 times. Jesus gives you the angel goes what sailor point was plan B.

Jesus turns and says there is no other plan. Jesus has given us a message of hope, of love, of encouragement, a forgiveness offer the world. He's entrusted us with an understanding of the gospel, and we need to share that with a lost and dying world and be lights. Verse 37, but although he had done so many signs before them.

They did not believe in him that is a scary verse to me even though he did so much perform. They did not believe in an endless list also recognized he was speaking they heard his words and I didn't believe you have G Judas, whose The justice enigma were going to get in the lab next week, but Judas was with them for three years, heard all the words all the miracles and never really believed. That's kind of scary to me. And you know what, and it can be extremely frustrating to me if I allow it seek what I do here is not teach the word of God because I can do that. What I can't do here is make you believe it all loved ones. I would've I could, you know some way I could just, you know, rub my Bible on your head to. You got it in your heart would be doing it at the front door, but it can't work like that doesn't work like that and you need to understand that in your life as well. You can't make anybody believe anything the Holy Spirit has to empower you and it has to be his words that you can speak up for God and be in his life, but you cannot make them believe that and you people thinking they can has led to stuff like a lot of the weirdness you see people yelling at people and shout that people would stick in their foot in the door like their selling vacuums are some I mean if you still vacuums out. I'm not slamming you that's if that's a fine occupants probably should find another analogy for that but you can't make anybody believe in what I do here is present the truth. I teach the truth and there are people that hear the don't get it and be honest. My heart sometimes wants to focus on those people and I can allow that. I pray for heartbroken over the reality is there's people that are getting.

I can't make the people who don't get it because there's a thing as I speak these truths. You have to hear the word you have to apply for and you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now own Legion. A short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry.

Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you.

All of my days in Jesus name, amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous is a congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com. Click on the donate button and ask God how much you would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out also.

Thank you so much ODA before we go. What are some ways bless our listeners days you can wake up with her is Casa David with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and the thought to meditate on throughout your day in the heart of David McGee. Thanks again for listening and join us next time.

As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God