016 - Donkeys and Deity

You pick up your Bible and wondered, is there more here than meets the eye. Is there something here for me. I mean it's just words printed on paper right well it may look like just print on a page, but it's more than Inc. join us for the next half hour, as we explore God's word together as we learn how to explore it on our own as we ask God to meet us there in its pages welcome to more than Inc. national election in one saying one thing and doing another absolute truth and accusation with you know what I am glad that we have relocating extent that we have a king claim that he was sovereign came in on a donkey to prove today, more than Inc. is Dorothy and I'm glad you joined us again. We are exploring our way through the gospel of John in the wood but have a great time. Just a wonderful time and today we get to a big juncture in the entire narrative that John gives to us and if member last time we were together we looked at the remarkable story of the raising of Lazarus just remarkable story of that habit because such a such a hue and cry about who Jesus was. And Jesus says through this, I'm glorifying God is and then we start today into chapter 12. We have to back in the living room of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus getting the chapter you getting the chapter back in their house there in Bethany and it says is just about six days before the Passover married is a wonderful thing at the beginning of this chapter, and I can read but wait. We trust you read that already were. She she go to Jesus feet and anoints his feet with this wonderful perfume and then wipe stuff with her hair through the cool then Judas gets a little miffed that me know that the money wasn't donated is almost an entire year's labor for labor is really costly and go read it yourself. It's in those first 10 or so verses of John 12 and then right after that John includes force in the narrative that at that point, the Jews decided it was time to to kill Lazarus because before we find out just a little mind the chapter that people had gathered to come just to get a good look at Lazarus. Yes, they could hardly believe that this is the guy who had been riding in to exactly so I'm word is going out to the entire area now Passover is happening is that they are coming into town. It's a really big deal. I hadn't happened yet not yet gathering it is jamming for six days before but incoming the scene.

You know what we might not might see Jesus when were there and we might see Lazarus that was what was going on. We started this program started in verse 12 and down to talk about the fact that Jesus did, he fulfilled some prophecy that was spoken five and half centuries before in a way. In such an unmistakable way that he makes a claim to the kingship of Israel. So you will start reading force in verse 12. Now the next day. This is the day after that anointing by Mary the next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, so they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him crying out. Hosanna blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the king of Israel. Okay, let's stop there because they're singing someone 18 which is one of the Psalms of Ascent and it's one of the songs that they would customarily seem Passover as they're going up to Jerusalem, so this is like you know we have Christmas carols. We sing every year and they start ringing in your hand at the right time of year but here they are hearing that Jesus has done all these amazing things and he's coming up to the feast and they are singing this song that they were going to be singing anyway and suddenly the peg drops in the whole oh this is the king of Israel, and here he comes right so verse 14 and Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as this written fear not, daughter of Zion, behold, your King is coming sitting on a donkey's colt know that we want to spend a lot of time trying that today you can dig into that on your own.

That is a quote from Zechariah Zechariah 99, specifically his disciple and just to say to that. That was that was written for five and half centuries before his window in the context of it is the people returning to Israel from captivity and got himself saying I desire to live in your midnight and so this is what's going to come at a particular way. That's right so this is unmistakable, and by which I might mention before you push on this whole triumphal entry story. There are parallel passages in the other Gospels.

It's it's like one of the it's a great study to talk about how to study and you'll find this and in Matthew 21, Mark 11 Luke 19 so you know is looking at this, go back and see what they say as well because they fill in different details. Lots of interesting detail in the contrast of the disgrace that a great study technique. Look for the parallel passages and this is easy to find. It's in all four Gospels, so let's move on and so they're all just coming into Jerusalem, coming into the city in this big parade in verse 16.

His disciples didn't understand these things at first but when Jesus was glorified.

Remember that these things and that he had been done to himself there just in the moment. They're just celebrating you know we've seen Jesus to all this amazing stuff in here we come into the city.

Verse 17, the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness of the people live right there.

Bethany was only a couple miles away were probably the mourners at the okay so this is the reason why the crowd went out to me was that they heard that he done the sign said they had been telling people about what he had just done, not very long before so the Pharisees said to one another.

You see, gaining nothing the whole world is going after them really still pretty disturbed by what Jesus is doing and that's for the end of the whole parental entry story is much longer than the other Gospels. But make no mistake, that when Jesus deliberately decide to come in writing on this donkey's goal he was making not only an unmistakable claim to being the Messiah king of Israel, unless thinkable claim, but also very visual claim, so people could actually look out from the city from the temple courtyard look across the given value over to the amount of olives were Jesus coming on this on the school and they could see he have to hear him see he was making the proclamation and this is a very deliberate act on Jesus's part and knowing that the time had come. So he unfold. Everything rides in this parade of people deliberately on a donkey's colt like this is a humble servant place and not a conqueror not a subtle message about his kingship. He is he is being in their face. In fact, it's kind of is fun. If you read the other Gospels. At one point the Pharisees tell Jesus to come. Aquinas shut him up going over the top right Jesus on going over the top and Jesus as well, but shut them down than the stones themselves will right out of this is just going to happen today. This will happen today. So the readers of the Gospels.

It's it's really fascinating, but after the spectacle of coming into town. Then there are a lot of people in town from all over the Jewish Jews lived everywhere including some Greeks well because this is one of the three holidays that Jewish men especially were required to go to Jerusalem at all had to put said there were thousands and thousands of people. Everyone is in Jerusalem at the Passover everyone to there. So some great guys come to winter this is a big chance okay verse 20 so among those who went up to worship at the feast Passover were some Greeks so these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee and asked him, sure. We wish to see Jesus it's like coming down thing since were here so Philip went and told Andrew. Andrew and Philip went and they told Jesus and Jesus answered them, no, this is interesting to read what he answers. But they didn't ask anything yet. They just wanted to see Jesus. And this is what Jesus says in response that requests the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

Hold onto that glory thing. 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 so whoever loves his life lose it. Never hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. And 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. So in the response to the Greeks when you talk to Jesus. Jesus really unloads big piece of theology what what you see in this is just tons of stuff here. Oh my gosh Lisa and this is the very hour that the Son of Man is to be glorified and right number before Jesus said is not my hour right now this is the point is been with me since the sentiments can be glorified.

Remember we said last week. Glory to be glorified is to be recognized for who you really are and make it known to shine that out and then he begins to talk when dad died grain of wheat falling into the earth and dying, and if it dies, it bears much fruit.when these when these Gentiles. These Greeks come from far away and say you know this guy is clearly being proclaimed as the King Jews, the Messiah, we want to see them. To this end is the beginning of the Old Testament had said Messiah is coming, he's coming through the Jews and from the Jews, but not just for the Jews is coming for everyone, and these Greeks believed that we want to seem to remember the end of the last chapter, Jesus says this is Dr. this nation only, but also together into one. The children of God were scattered abroad right so were talking to Gentiles as well. Right. So now now he gets you know, I might mention as well.

He always uses illustrations people understand about taking a seat right which you could eat right or you could plant right. But if you plan it and you let it die in the dirt. Then you'll get much more in return. So he's he's using is an illustration.

They all get the understand this and that's why with that understanding.

Verse 25 pieces so in a way you know whoever loves life loses it to get a lose have to die and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it to turn up. I might just point really quickly is another that's kind of an intermediate to advanced study technique about doing word studies in that line in verse 25.

The word life is used three times in the end it's a different word. The first to know who loves life loses it and the second one about hates his life in this world. That word really means the invisible part of what makes your body work this many times transited souls scan the inner workings of who you are is a physical human being, but you can't see it but then when he gets to this eternal life that wears a completely different word which really means big and vibrant life sermon.

When Jesus was the good Shepherd brings us like that's it right there so he's really talking and in fact the first word comes from were the brief.

So essentially saying whoever loves his breath loses, it will see, and whoever hates Cliff in this world will keep it for eternal living.

So again he's doing the distinction between the temporal life here and now in the spotlight and the eternal life which is an entirely different thing. So he's not talking about treating one thing for another thing, in 25 I mean the same thing is talk about swapping something that's temporary for something that's gigantic that is the actual essential core element of life itself right and that that's the swab and the reality life and reality, and in real life.

Yeah so you wouldn't infect if you have a daughter named Zoe. So that's really okay Zoe but it's it's big like think of that word that talks about this.

This fundamental principle of life. So that's that's what's fun about doing some word studies or you know you can get Vine's expository dictionary don't tell you that as well so so there's really he's talking about swapping something that's temporal.

It's in the invisible you for now, but animate your body now but you know what if use. If you swap that out you going to let that go in the temporary. What comes to you is big time life in the per minute. That's what he said eternal eternal life and love and beyond this life.

Exactly. And then he says a very ominous thing if you're my servant. Then you have to follow me there and if you listen closely you know that the seed has to die.

So that's kind of giving up the here and now temporary breath is so it was like someone says are you living or you just breathing in others. A distinction is made. If you want real life abundant life, then you're going to have to follow me you're going to have to let your holding on this life die came, it was his huge expectation that he was going to be proclaimed king right the political system was going to change boys is timely. The political system was going to change when Jesus came into Jerusalem. This time that's what people were expecting price is not about that at all.

This is about life and death so he resets their expectation and begin to verse 27. But what's really going to happen now were not going and start a kingdom or something much different Unary Dow just now is my soul troubled.

Listen to the emotion here and what shall I say father, save me from this hour, but for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name. So here's Jesus praying the hearing of these people from God to be recognized. In reality, going to volumes are what can happen right and he has in mind his death. The cross then a voice came from heaven. This is verse 28. I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again, the crowd that stood there and heard it said it had thundered in others that any and Jesus answering this place has come for your sake, so that's interesting because everybody in the crowd recognized something it happened. They heard something they felt something but not everybody heard the meaning of what the father had said, but Jesus says it is… Talk to me he's talking to you is for you guy have glorified it. In other words, I've sent my son, my glory has walked among you in the flesh, and I will glorify it again. Still in a bigger more amazing way. Yet we are really going to unfold the nature of who God is, what's going happen next in the narrative, so verse 31 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 men to myself, lifted upbringing to Bill.

Hello. It's the cross.

John says he says this in verse 33 he said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die so the crowd answered him.

We've heard from the law that the Christ must remain forever. So how can you say that the Son of Man be lifted not understand he's talking about dying right so they say well how can he supposed to last forever. He's getting the throne of David and his eternal kingdom on one. By the way, before he passed to forecasted that lifted up thing.

Jesus, if you been taking notes, you're probably rifling through noticing where to hear this before, and John will Johnny, you heard and with Nicodemus in John. John three heard it, just like the bronze serpent was left all here it's going happen within the next few days. You keep going from so Jesus said in verse 35. The light is among you for a little while longer walk.

When you have the light, less darkness, overtaking the one who walks in darkness, doesn't know what he's going while you have the light believe in the light, that you may become sons of light winds detour into the light thing is yet but you know I'm what I always tell people you gotta go back to your experience camping if you want to understand how they think about light because when you go camping you get up in the lanai check bathroom do you delete your tent and go across the campground the party without a flashlight now because what do you stub your toe on everything that's in the forest. So without light. You are ignorant about the way things really are and that's light and darkness for them. So Jesus a look while you get the light you can understand how things really are okay. And remember that this is happening in direct response to the Gentiles coming and asking to see and Isaiah 9 had said talking about the Gentiles. The people who walk in darkness will see a great line leave my house to live in a dark land, the light will shine on them. That's Isaiah 92 so Jesus again is saying hey that Gentiles, or even come to seek me they are recognizing that there is light here you Jews walk while you have the light yeah yeah so leave while I'm here speaking to you. That's right, you know that they're asking who is the Son of Man right after the summit, he says, look, you got the light right now so wise up effect. He's not evading the question because he likes answer the question straight up at the end of this chapter, and he's also addressed it or hate look in my notes back in your John notes you'll see it back and it was in John 11 was back in John nine is back in John eight and John three, and at the very outset of the John says in him was life, that's the so alive. He's in him was life and the life was the light of men. And so if you're aiming at real life and you want to know how house was the big picture that you can see in the light go to Jesus. He's not like to tell you.

So Jesus trying to say right here you know if you want to who the Son of Man is listen while you got light, watch what you got light.

That light, so keep noting things we see happening in this chapter is how different groups of people were responding to Jesus right right we've seen the work crowds of people claiming him organ see in a minute.

They were people who were believing in secret. They were those who were there just to see the next sensational thing.

There were foreigners coming saying we can see what's happening here. And so the interesting everyone had an opinion, but was it wasn't a nonissue. Just like we can't house famously just came the past.

The last election. Everyone has an opinion right when he came to Jesus at this Passover everyone had an opinion right so who do the people say Jesus is. How do people respond to Jesus. So you know the question you might be working on in yourself is your reading through this chapter is who I say Jesus is how do I respond which one of these groups do identify with right in my just a lucky little my just looking for the next sensational thing. Do I really believe and as you been witness to the glory of God that is made known his character. You know, and his love for us and will do on our behalf. Is that convincing you that this God is someone who's worth pursuing because that's what Jesus is trying to communicate through all these things. Here's this God loves you and in the second will see who is willing to do on your behalf, and who who weeps with you in tragedy right so we see that in the gospel. Now in chapter 12 John cites for us a whole bunch of references from Isaiah spent a lot of time with those you can track those down yourself right. But what's interesting to me is down in verse 41 he says now Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. Nonetheless, many of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees. They didn't confess it, so this is this second group of people who were publicly proclaiming him, but were believing in secret because they were afraid of the social pressure of being put out of the synagogue in verse 43 for they love the glory that comes from man more than the glory of God. They love the recognition they were getting from the religious establishment and from the world and they loved the king, whom God himself had said even though they had all the evidence they needed saying all the evidence they needed. They believed in him, but they could not admit it publicly, and this is the whole reason that John wrote the gospel so that people would believe he says in John 2031 these things been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and that believing you may have life in his name. So as this chapter comes to an end, we will to read these last few verses for 45 user stage. Each one of these statements is just astonishing in itself but taken together, the weight of them is tremendous. Do you believe in. John closes out this public visibility of Jesus with these words were goes up the upper room in the next chapters of 44 Jesus cried out and said whoever believes in me believes not in me, but in him sent me and whoever sees me sees him sent. I have come into the world as white so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them. I don't judge Fry did not come to judge the world, but to save the world, the one who rejects me, and does not receive my world words as a judge in the word that I've spoken will judge him on the last day for I have not spoken on my own authority with the father who sent me has himself given me a commandment what to say and what to speak, and I know that his commandment is eternal life. When I say therefore I say as the father has told me my gosh wow so let me just restate sunset fiddle, but he just said the belief in Jesus equals belief in God. If you see Jesus you seen God says I'm coming as light. Don't stay in the dark. I came to save not to judge my word is what will judge you what I have said is what will judge you at the last day. He says my words are God's words in my words are eternal. Pretty tight identity with the following line – if you only have these five or six verses is not hold back. No, no, and the question is who do you say this man is right is a God in the flesh, as John has told us from the beginning of the gospel write anything and I says a very handy says this is his commandment is eternal life in a sentence like you saying you know the father told me to come here as the sun and my commandment, the commitment to me is eternal life dream life and that's the point of the entire and you don't get it any other way than through the death and resurrection of the only one God sent exactly in this light of the world. This light is illuminating for us is enlightening us to what God's plan for us is in this one because if you want life is the light of men will show you the way explained to you what God has in store for you and Jesus is central to God's purpose to bring life and to bring abundantly through this great Shepherd at this point is a turning point in John's Gospel where chapter 13.

We are suddenly in the upper room the next the last one third of this book all pertain to that last night leading into the cross and then going through. There is a very special very intimate time, Jesus and his followers were to get to that were gonna take a small departure away from that as we continue our weekly broadcasts.

So where it will come up to thanksgivings about Thanksgiving a little bit for weeks but but read ahead in like good John 1314 oh, 15, 16, 17) one piece. It all happened in this room very very intimate and you see a picture you see a side of Jesus that John Malone told us about it so intimate it's touching. It's intimate it's it's just it's amazing and he says some things to the 12 and to the other people who were probably also there are also probably some dwelling in a handful of others but he says some things to them that can add one more layer of depth in the things he's been saying all along and their astonishing many of them will will look at their will get there about what we want to leave you with at this time is, is this question. Who do you say Jesus is what John's been worked out with John's been working on and has he glorified himself to such a degree that you understand the nature of God in a different and more and more meaningful when you ever have before. Even through the very simple actions of healing a blind man and raising that I would see what you understand about who God is seen the glory of God recognizing his essential nature who he really is, as revealed in Jesus and its these events as I read them as early believe it just made me fall in love with Jesus and a special comes up next couple chapters will listen next time were going to talk about Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving is an easy topic but it's a hard topic when you talk about how can I be thankful when the circumstances are not what I like how my thankful hard times are you and you be thankful for the recent election. If you actually lost 2020 2020 is getting the junks for the next generation thankful. So is it possible to be thankful. Not not just we ought to be thankful, shrugged her shoulders, but you act you can be thankful in the midst circumstances so you think one tough time. Next time that you thanks for joining us today. Thankful for you next morning