Well, while you're standing, please take your Bible.
We'll read the Word of God standing up here together,
and you can turn to the Gospel of John.
We're in John chapter 12 this week.
While you're turning there, let me kind of give you an overview
of the structure of the book of John,
because in this chapter we have a shift.
So John chapter 1 is the prologue,
and then the conclusion of the whole Gospel according to John
is John chapter 21.
So you've got a prologue at the beginning, a conclusion at the end.
And in the middle, there are two books, you know, we could say.
So the first one is the book of the signs,
the book of the seven signs that are pointing to the final work of Christ,
and then the second book is called the book of His hour,
and it's the passion of Christ.
So you're going to see some language as we read this,
John chapter 12, that's indicating a shift into the second half of the book.
And just so you know too, just mapping it out,
my plan is that at least this summer,
in my mind we could do this for 30 years,
every summer at least,
but at least this summer we're going to be going through one psalm,
you know, the great book of psalms.
These were the songbook of Jesus, it was His hymnal.
We're going to go through one psalm every Lord's Day.
So my plan is to get up until somewhere around John 13,
somewhere in there,
and then we'll pause and we'll go through psalms for about eight weeks or so,
and then we'll pick up in the Gospel of John in the fall,
and we'll probably finish the book of John around December.
So just so you know, that's where we're headed.
All right.
And while you've got it there now,
so John chapter 12,
go ahead and look at verse 23.
So John chapter 12, verse 23,
see what Jesus says?
He says,
The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
So our Lord Jesus Himself is indicating a shift,
because up until this point He said,
it's not my time, it's not my hour.
Now in John 12, the hour is here.
One of our older kids asked me earlier this week,
where are we at?
What's the sermon about?
Like, what's the story?
And I said, well, you remember last week it was the raising of Lazarus.
This week is the effect that that had.
Like, how did that change everything?
And that's what we're going to see today.
It's the effect of Lazarus coming back to life.
And what I want you to listen to in these first 26 verses,
Lazarus' name still comes up four different times here.
All right.
So John chapter 12,
beginning of verse 1 through verse 26.
And as you hear this, remember,
this is the inspired, inerrant, infallible,
clear and sufficient Word of God.
Six days before the Passover,
Jesus therefore came to Bethany,
where Lazarus was,
whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
So they gave a dinner for Him there.
Martha served,
and Lazarus was one of those reclining with Him at table.
Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment,
made from pure nard,
and anointed the feet of Jesus,
and wiped His feet with her hair.
The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Verse 4,
But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples,
he who was about to betray Him, said,
Why was this ointment not sold for 300 denarii
and given to the poor?
He said this not because He cared about the poor,
but because He was a thief.
And having charge of the money bag,
He used to help Himself to what was put into it.
Jesus said,
Leave her alone,
so that she may keep it for the day of my burial.
For the poor you always have with you,
but you do not always have me.
When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there,
they came, not only on account of Him,
but also to see Lazarus,
whom He had raised from the dead.
So the chief priests made plans
to put Lazarus to death as well,
because on account of Him,
many of the Jews were going away
and believing in Jesus.
Verse 12,
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!
And Jesus found a young donkey
and sat on it,
just as it is written,
Fear not, daughter of Zion,
behold, your King is coming,
sitting on a donkey's colt.
His disciples did not understand these things at first,
but when Jesus was glorified,
then they remembered
that these things had been written about Him
and had been done to Him.
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.
The reason why the crowd went to meet Him
was that they had heard He had done this sign.
So the Pharisees said to one another,
You see that you are gaining nothing.
Look, the world has gone after Him.
Verse 20,
Now some,
now those,
I'm sorry, excuse me,
now among those who went up
to worship at the feast
were some Greeks.
So these came to Philip,
who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,
and asked Him,
Sir, we wish to see Jesus.
Philip went and told Andrew,
Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus,
and Jesus answered them,
The hour has come
for the Son of Man to be glorified.
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.
Whoever loves his life
loses it,
and whoever hates his life
in this world
will keep it
for eternal life.
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.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
You may be seated.
Would you pray with me?
Father, I ask that
by the power of your Holy Spirit,
you will cause us
in our minds
and in our hearts
to see Jesus,
to behold you,
Lord God,
in the flesh,
as the hour
of your great work
to be glorified
has arrived.
Please speak to us,
Lord.
Help us to not only understand,
but to receive your word.
And I pray, Lord,
that by the power of your Spirit,
you will change us.
You will make us
prepared for the gospel.
And that when you work
in our hearts,
the gospel,
it will change everything
in our lives.
For your glory we pray.
Amen.
Well, beloved congregation
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the question I invite you
to ponder today is this.
Which life
do you love most?
Which life do you love most?
See, at the end of our text,
we just read this.
Jesus says,
if you love your life
in this world,
it will perish.
But if you lay down
your life in this world
through union with Christ,
He will preserve your soul
for eternity.
There is this life
and there is the life
to come.
I think Lazarus
is one man,
one illustration
of this great truth.
There is a spiritual kingdom
to come.
And the soul of Lazarus,
he had died.
His soul had left his body.
The soul of Lazarus
was put back into his body.
He got new life
in this world.
If we ask Lazarus
that question,
I think his answer
would be pretty easy.
Do you prefer this life
in this fallen sinful world?
Or do you prefer
the life that your soul
will enjoy for eternity
in Christ,
the kingdom of heaven?
Now, we're going to walk
through verse by verse,
but I was even thinking
about this, you know,
for myself.
Think of all that we have
to do to take care
of our body.
And we should take care
of our body.
We brush our teeth,
we get our hair cut,
we trim our nails.
We do a lot.
We feed, we exercise,
you know.
But think about your soul.
And when you think
of who you are,
do you think first
of your body
when you stand in the mirror,
that's who I am?
Or do you think first
of your soul?
We have a body,
we have a soul.
That picture that we got
with Lazarus
getting a new life,
it's really to teach us
you have a new life.
When God breathes life
and gives,
regenerates your heart,
He breathes a new soul
into you.
That's how Paul explains it
in 2 Corinthians 5, 17.
If anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creation.
The old has passed away.
Behold, the new has come.
So if your soul
is united to Christ,
the new creation
has already begun
in you,
in your soul.
So chapter 11,
we saw how Lazarus
was raised from the dead.
Life conquered death.
Light conquered darkness.
The kingdom of heaven
is conquering
the domain
of the kingdom
of the earth.
It was the free gift
of God's grace,
life in Christ
that conquered
the wages
of Adam's sin,
which is death.
Well, in chapter 11,
it was about God
giving one man
new life.
And here in chapter 12,
I believe it's like
the ripple effects
of a new life.
So picture yourself
in one of those
beautiful lakes
here in Colorado
and you're down
almost on the level
of the water
and it's perfectly still,
no wind.
You could take
the tiniest little pebble
and drop it
and you'll see
a ripple effect,
won't you?
And that's how it is.
When God breathes life
into one soul,
just one person
who will believe in him,
it causes a ripple effect.
I believe that's what
we will see
in this chapter.
Jesus said,
whoever loves
his life
loses it.
Whoever hates
his life in this world
will keep it
for eternal life.
So the Bible teaches,
our Lord Jesus Christ
teaches that there
are two lives.
There's the life
of the flesh
and there's the life
of the spirit.
There's a life
that's enslaved
in darkness
and there's a life
that's received
the light
of the kingdom
of heaven.
There is a life
that's perishing
but there is a life
for your soul
that is imperishable.
There is the earthly life
and there is the heavenly life.
Which life
do you love most?
Now look at verse 1.
We read that
Jesus
six days
before the Passover.
Now this is the first time
that the Apostle John
in this gospel
does not call this
the feast of the Jews.
So he's already
indicating a shift.
He's anticipating.
This is about,
this feast of the Passover
is about to be transformed.
He came to Bethany
where Lazarus was
which had been raised
from the dead
whom he raised
from the dead.
Now
Lazarus got a new life
and it changed everything.
There was a Puritan pastor
named Richard Sibbes
and it was said of him
that he was a wicked man.
He was a sinner.
But when they looked
at his life
as an old man,
as a man who had been
just loving the Lord,
serving him within the church
for many, many years,
they looked at Richard Sibbes,
this old pastor,
and they said,
heaven was in him
before he was in heaven.
That's probably a great way
to describe Lazarus.
The new life he got
four times mentioned
in this passage.
You could say
heaven was in Christ
before Christ's bodily,
glorified body
was back in heaven.
And the same might have been
true of Lazarus.
We don't get much focus
on Lazarus.
The focus is on Christ.
Brian Voss helped me
to see next
in verses two and three
a great contrast here.
We're going to see
a contrast between
Lazarus and his two sisters
versus Judas.
And that's the focus
of John,
how he tells this story.
So what I want you
to observe is this,
that we're told
that Martha
and Lazarus
and Mary,
they're each
are doing something
but they don't say anything.
Their actions
say it all.
There's no dialogue
with them.
But the life of heaven
abounds in grateful service
in communion with Christ.
See, they see this new life
in their brother
and look at the result.
In verse two,
they made a dinner for him.
Now, in one week from now,
Jesus would be the one
preparing a dinner
for his disciples.
Bethany had been a place
of escape for him
in the past.
Now, the hour has arrived.
It's like the king
mounting for war,
for coming in for battle,
the last victory.
In chapter two,
Martha served
and Lazarus was one of them
who sat and reclined
at the table.
So with Martha and Lazarus,
we have a picture
of serving the Lord
out of gratitude
and relaxing
and reclining
and enjoying communion
with the Lord.
And then with the other sister,
we get one more
response of gratitude.
Look at verse three.
Then Mary took
a pound of ointment.
This is nard,
or some translations
render it spike nard.
And we're told
it was very costly.
What Judas says
gives us a price tag
to put on it.
And it was equivalent
to one year's wages.
So before bank accounts
and stuff like that,
you had to store up
all your reserves,
all your money
in something physical.
This was her one year's wages
set aside as a savings.
Most likely this nard
was imported from India.
Remember Jerusalem?
It's a crisscross
for all these major highways
connecting all the continents.
It was a place of trade
and it would be a way
to acquire this rare
and expensive ointment.
We're told that she anointed
the feet of Jesus
and wiped his feet
with her hair.
Paul explains to the Corinthians
how a woman's hair
and their culture
was a sign of her honor.
So here she is
at the feet
of this man,
Jesus Christ.
He is everything to her.
Her sister is serving,
her brother is reclining
and eating
and enjoying communion
with him.
And her way of expressing
her gratitude
is to lavish
everything she has
as a way of saying
he is all to me.
I laid down
my life savings.
I laid down
my honor.
Father,
Jesus Christ,
God,
Lord of all,
he is everything
to me.
You see the ripple effect
of a new life?
It results in
grateful service
and communion.
Mary
worshiped him,
the creator,
in humbleness.
We sing,
let all things
their creator bless
and do just that.
Worship him
in humbleness.
If all the creation
saw the Lord
for who he was,
this would be
the only natural
response.
In verse 3,
we're told that
the whole house
was filled
with the fragrance
of this ointment.
When was the last time
in this story
that we were reminded
of a smell?
It was the stench
of death,
wasn't it?
You see how now
a new life
has replaced
the stench of death
with a fragrance
that fills
the whole house.
Christ's own death
does the exact
same thing.
The stench
of the curse
of sin
of death
is replaced
with the wonderful
aroma
of new life.
So the life
of heaven,
it abounds
in grateful service
and communion
to Christ.
That's one of the
effects
of a new life.
Which life
do you love
most?
Christ.
Are you like
these siblings
here?
Mary, Martha
and Lazarus?
They loved
this life
of the spirit
that they got
to enjoy
being with Christ,
serving him,
lavishing
everything they
have at his feet.
They loved
the light
that he brought
to their darkest
point of their lives
in their world.
They loved
the newness
that they were
enjoying.
They didn't want
anything to do
with the old.
They loved
the imperishable,
the value
of their souls
being united
to the king
of kings
rather than
holding on
to that which
is perishable
like this nard.
Jesus calls us
to bury
our earthly life
with Christ.
Keep
him
as your all.
See,
what Mary
was also doing
is that she
was anointing
Jesus.
She was anointing
him as king
for his triumphal
entry as he's
going to go
into Jerusalem
as the king.
But she was also
preparing his body
for burial.
And our response
is that by laying
it all down
and saying,
Christ,
you are the
anointed one
of heaven.
I trust my soul
to you alone.
You will keep
my soul.
You will guard it.
You will protect it.
You're the one
who will sanctify
and prepare
my soul
for heaven
with you.
There's no better
place for your
soul to be.
Well,
a second
contrast here
though is that
new life,
it doesn't change
everyone.
For those who
see the new life,
who enjoy and
experience new life
in Christ,
it changes everything.
But Christ's new
life does not
change everyone.
And the contrast
between these
siblings is with
Judas.
He's their foil.
See,
they said
nothing,
but their
actions spoke
volumes.
Now,
Judas,
he doesn't do
anything to show
his value of
Christ,
but he does
talk.
His words say
it all.
Look at verse
four.
Then Judas Iscariot,
we're told in
others,
text that
it was Simon's
son.
He was one of
the disciples.
So being really
precise,
this is who I'm
talking about.
And this is the
one who would
betray Jesus.
So he's letting
us know right
away.
This was a
wolf in
sheep's
clothing.
He said in
verse five,
why was this
ointment not
sold for 300
denarii or
300 pence in
the money given
to the poor?
Now,
we're not
absolutely certain,
but it's possible
when we read,
you know,
one piece of
silver that
equals one
denarii.
It was a
common,
you know,
currency.
So however
much money an
average person
would make in
one day would
be one denarii
or one piece
of silver.
And we
know that
Judas in
Matthew 26
is going to
leave from
here and go
sell the
Lord Jesus
to those who
want to kill
him for 30
pieces of
silver.
We know from
the Old
Testament that
that price,
you know,
30 days wages,
that's the
price that you
would buy a
slave.
Or if your
ox killed
another man's
slave, you
would pay
him that
price, 30
pieces of
silver.
to Mary,
Jesus was
worth all.
To Judas,
Jesus was a
common servant
or slave.
Jesus was
anointed by
Mary.
One week
later, Jesus
would be the
one taking the
posture of a
servant and
washing the
feet of his
disciples,
including
Judas.
In verse
6, Judas
said this not
because he
cared about the
poor.
Remember what
Jesus said in
John chapter 10,
the hirelings,
they don't really
care, but
because he was
a thief.
Well, that's
exactly how the
wolves are
described.
They are thieves.
They came to
destroy him.
Because Judas
was the keeper of
the money bag and
he would carry
away what was
put into it.
Now, Jesus, he
knew all of this,
didn't he?
So the shepherd,
he delays his
judgment, he
delays his
judgment.
He knew all of
this with Judas
right there.
But the shepherd
king also defends
his lambs.
So what Judas is
doing to Christ,
he allows.
But when he went
as a wolf and his
fangs come out
against Mary, look
at what Jesus says
in verse 7,
leave her alone.
She has kept
this for the day
of my burial.
So Jesus knows
where this is all
heading.
It's foreshadowing
that his body
before it's put
into the grave
will be anointed
and perfumed.
In verse 8,
Jesus says,
the poor,
this is important,
the poor you
always have
with you.
When he's giving
them a picture
of the church,
it's a church
with poor in it.
The poor,
yes, you are
to care for them
and you will do
that as my church.
They are with you.
That's my vision
for my church.
But you do not
always have me.
This is so important
because our Lord Jesus,
he wants to clarify
that if you are
showing care
for the poor,
it needs to come out
of the overflow
of worship to him.
You worship the Lord
Jesus like Mary
and Martha
and Lazarus
and out of that overflow,
that love for Christ,
the poor are with you.
You're bringing them
along into it.
You're not rejecting them.
But,
care for the poor
must never
replace worship.
Have you ever seen
that happen
in a church?
So this is so important.
The poor must be
with the church.
You must draw them in
and serve them
by serving me.
Take care of the
weakest members.
But this is never
replacement for
worshiping Christ.
We're doing this together.
They are with the church.
But it is never
becoming a social gospel.
Where that's
our ultimate purpose.
Now,
I don't want you
to just think
this is a story
that happened
a long ago.
It has nothing
to do with you
as you sit here.
Judas
had to decide,
is it this life?
This life right now
with this money?
One year's wages?
And I can dip
into some of it?
Or,
is there a life
for the soul?
A life in the age
to come?
And you and I
are like Judas.
We were born
enslaved
to this world.
And on top of that,
we added on
our own sins.
We are bound
under the chains
of sin
when we are born
into this world.
And our soul,
it's being hunted down.
Martin Luther
felt this
so intensely.
Martin Luther said
to one person
who was trying
to make an argument
that by your own
free will,
you can save yourself.
Martin Luther's point
is no,
your will
is bound
under the curse
of sin and death.
That's what your will
is biblically.
And Martin Luther
simply said to him,
your thoughts
concerning God
are too human.
We could say
the same to Judas here.
Judas,
you don't value Christ.
Your thoughts
concerning Jesus Christ,
the God-man,
your thoughts
about Christ
are too human.
And that's the temptation
we all can fall into.
Our thoughts about God
are too human.
Our will is bound.
Our spirit is dead.
Our hearts are of stone,
the Bible says,
until the Holy Spirit
by His power
regenerates you.
That's when you believe.
And when you believe
you behold Christ
for who He is,
you worship Him.
You're at His feet.
Maybe,
maybe you've been deceived
and maybe you're sitting here
without having given
much thought
to the life
of the age to come.
And you're enslaved
to that old life,
the life of the flesh,
of darkness,
that's perishing,
that's bound up
in this earth.
Is that really the life
that you love
like Judas?
Jesus calls you
to bury your life
with Christ
and He promises
that He will keep,
guard, protect,
and sanctify your soul
for eternal life
with Him.
New life changes everything.
The third thing
I want to draw
your attention to
is how one person's
new life
leads others
to worship Christ
as King.
So, let's focus next
on the crowd,
this crowd.
Look at verse 9.
When a large crowd
of the Jews learned
that Jesus was there,
they came not for
Jesus' sake only,
but that they also
might see Lazarus,
also whom He had
raised from the dead.
Now, look at verse 17.
Those people
that had been with Him
when He called Lazarus
out of the tomb
and raised Him
from the dead,
they gave witness.
Verse 8 said,
Therefore the crowd
also met Him
because they had heard
of the sign
that He had done.
So, let's remember,
okay?
Lazarus died.
These people from Jerusalem
came to mourn
with this family
seven days
of mourning,
and on the fourth day,
right in the middle
of this week of mourning,
the Lord Jesus
raised Lazarus
from the dead.
And all those
who were barefoot
and sackcloth
with ashes on their head,
they had been fasting,
singing these really sad
Hebrew dirges,
they're now
bearing witness.
This really happened.
And they're spreading
the word.
They're telling everyone,
Jesus Christ gave new life
to a dead man.
They're bearing witness.
And a crowd
that had come to Jerusalem
for the Passover,
they are now hearing
about this.
Whoa, hold on.
What is going on?
One person's new life
leads others
to worship Jesus
as king.
Now, picture this crowd.
What was on their mind?
They had come
to Jerusalem
for the Passover.
You know what the Passover
was for the Jews?
It was Independence Day.
They're remembering
how the Lord
brought them out of Egypt.
They're remembering
how they had been enslaved
to another nation,
and now they got
their freedom.
And I mean,
you picture Americans
on Independence Day,
you got,
I just picture
large pickup trucks,
fireworks,
flags, you know.
And this is
a patriotic moment.
This crowd is now here.
We've got someone
in the village next door
who brought new life
to a man.
And it's Independence time.
Let's go gather around.
So here comes
this big crowd.
And what were they singing
as they were traveling
to Jerusalem
for Independence Day,
for Passover?
They were singing
from their songbook,
the Psalms.
They were singing
the Psalms of Ascent.
And these Psalms of Ascent
are putting their minds
on a great day
when the priestly office
and the kingly office
will be joined in Jerusalem,
and He will reign over
all the earth.
Like Psalm 118,
these travelers come weary
singing these songs,
and they sing,
Out of my distress,
I called on the Lord,
and the Lord answered me
and set me free.
It's Independence Day.
So that's how the crowd was.
But we're told that Jesus,
in Matthew 23,
Jesus,
as He was looking out
over Jerusalem
about to enter,
knowing what the crowd
was thinking,
how they're cheering,
how it's a patriotic moment,
Jesus weeps.
He weeps over Jerusalem.
And He says,
How I have longed
to gather you
under my wings.
It's the same language
that Boaz
sang over Ruth.
You could say that
of Boaz,
couldn't you?
Heaven was in Boaz
before Boaz
was in heaven.
Well, now look back
at verse 13.
This crowd took
branches of palms.
They took branches
of palms,
and I don't think
it's wrong
if churches want to do that,
but listen to what
this would actually mean.
The palm branches
were never ordained
by Scripture
as part of the ceremonial law,
so we shouldn't read
symbolism into that.
It became a tradition
of the patriots,
the national Jews,
during the Maccabean revolt
that we mentioned
a little bit ago
with the Feast of Dedication.
So then,
when they took back
the power,
they started
printing coins,
minting coins
with palm branches
on it
as a symbol
of independence
and patriotism.
And Jesus
sees all this happening,
but His Spirit
is longing
to gather them
under His wings.
Verse 13 says,
They went out
to meet Him,
crying,
Hosanna!
Blessed is He
coming in the name
of the Lord,
even the King of Israel.
Now,
even though
their expectations
of Christ
were at least mixed,
we could say that,
they didn't quite
have the right picture
of how His kingdom
was coming.
Their words
were right.
Jesus is most blessed.
And He is coming
in the name of the Lord.
He says,
I am.
That's who's coming.
It's Jesus,
God Himself.
And He's coming
as King
not only over Israel,
not only over Jerusalem.
The phrase
Daughters of Zion
is another name
for Jerusalem,
but He's coming
as King over all.
Now,
think about
how one person's
life has led
to many others
worshiping Jesus
as King.
Lazarus,
his life,
his one life
in this world
was buried
like a seed
in that cave.
And now,
many are bearing
witness of a man
who was dead,
who got new life
from the King of Kings.
Because of him,
large crowds
of a harvest
are now gathering
around Jesus Christ.
may this be true
of us
in your life,
in my life,
and in our congregation,
that if there is
genuine new life,
it won't just be that one.
It will multiply.
Here's a soul
that got drawn
into the life
of the kingdom
of heaven
because this life
is buried with Christ
in this world,
and the harvest
follows,
even if we don't see it.
It might take generations.
So which life
do you love most?
There's the life
of the flesh
and the life
of the Spirit,
of darkness
or of light,
the old
or the new,
the perishing
or the imperishable,
heavenly
or earthly.
Jesus says,
bury your earthly life
with Christ
and He will keep
and guard
and protect
and sanctify
your soul
for eternal life
in Him.
Well,
the fourth thing
I want to draw
your attention to
is that only
the Holy Spirit
can show disciples
the glory
of Christ's new kingdom.
Look at verse 14.
Jesus,
then Jesus,
finding a donkey colt,
He sat upon it
even as it had been written.
Verse 15,
Do not fear,
daughter of Zion.
Behold,
your king comes
sitting on the full
of a donkey.
This is a scripture
was written,
we're told.
Where was this written?
It was Zechariah
chapter 9,
verse 9,
which is a prophecy.
It's a word of hope
to the people in exile
and it says,
Rejoice greatly,
O daughter of Zion.
Shout aloud,
O daughter of Jerusalem.
Behold,
your king is coming to you
righteous
and having salvation
is He.
What type of king
should they be expecting?
The next words
in Zechariah 9,
He will be humble
and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt,
the full of a donkey.
See,
when the Romans
led a procession
through these major
capital cities
like Jerusalem,
they got to do that
every time they had
gone to battle
and killed
500 of the enemy.
they would come
on a great war horse
and it would be gruesome
and it would be fleshly
and to the human eye,
that's what they saw
as true honor
and true glory.
Now look at verse 16,
when His disciples
did not know
these things at first,
but when Jesus
was glorified,
then they remembered
that these things
were written of Him
and that He had done
and that they had done
these things unto Him.
See,
even they
with their human eye,
they did not see
the full glory of God
in the moment.
Christ had to finish
His work,
rise to the right hand
of God
and the Spirit
descend on them.
Then the Spirit
showed them back
through the Bible
how all of this
pointed to Christ.
It has to be
the Holy Spirit
showing disciples
the glory of Christ
through all of Scripture.
Only God Himself
by the Holy Spirit
can open your eyes
to behold the glory
of this humble,
otherworldly King.
So how was it
that these people
came to believe
that He was the true King?
The Spirit
had to make them
know that.
Don't you have
a loved one
that you wish
they would be able
to see and understand
Christ
and His glory?
Pray for the Spirit
to show them
and He'll do that
by His Word.
I love this line
in the hymn we sang
that He speaks
and listening to His voice,
that's how,
new life the dead receive,
the mournful,
broken hearts rejoice,
the humble,
poor believe.
Have you experienced this?
Have you heard something
about Christ
from the Bible,
about the Gospel,
and no matter
how many years
you've been hearing
the Bible
and the Gospel,
it just comes alive
inside of you
in a way you can't explain?
If you've experienced that,
praise the Lord,
that means it's
His Holy Spirit
teaching you
and showing you
what only He can teach you.
This is what the disciples
experienced and bore witness to
in Luke chapter 24,
verse 32.
They said,
listen,
our hearts burn
within us.
How?
While He talked to us
on the road,
while He opened
to us
the Scriptures.
That's what our Lord Jesus
and His glorified buddy
loves to do.
He loves to minister
to you
by His Word
and make your heart
burn within you
because He's given you
that new life.
Ask God
to make you
know Him.
What a glorious truth.
You get to know God.
If someone asks you
how you're doing,
do you think about
your life in this world
and all those things?
Or do you think about
that simple truth?
How are you doing?
I get to know God.
My soul
gets to know God.
That's the life
of the Spirit.
That's the light
of life
and light.
It's new.
It's imperishable.
It's heavenly.
And you only experience it
when your life
in this world
has been buried
with Christ
and you're trusting Him.
He will
keep your soul
and guard it
and protect it
and sanctify it.
He will prepare
your soul
for eternal life
in His heavenly kingdom.
But Jesus says
count the cost
and that's what
I want you to see
even with Lazarus'
own life.
It's that new life
in Christ
makes you a target
for Christ's enemies.
Remember,
He's the shepherd king
and where is He
marching to?
He's marching
the road
of the cross.
So I want to focus
next on how
Satan used
the chief priests
and Pharisees.
And I just want
to be really clear.
The Romans
were part
representing all
the rest of the world
and the Pharisees,
the teachers of the law.
They were part of it too.
But it's Satan
working through
these people
and God saved
Jews and Greeks
and Romans
as well following this.
There were churches
planted among all of them.
So this is what
we are all like.
But look at verse 10.
So the chief priests
made plans
to put Lazarus
to death as well.
You see,
new life,
it makes you a target
for Christ's enemies.
Satan distorts
the reality
and he tries to draw
people in
to be part of that.
They said,
okay,
everybody here,
everybody,
these crowds all know
Lazarus was the dead man.
He had been dead
four days.
Everybody knows that.
So what do we need
to do?
We need to distort reality.
We need to kill Lazarus
because he can't
go on like this.
They already had plans
to kill Jesus.
Now they have plans
to kill his church.
See,
the new life of Christ
made Christ a target,
obviously,
but it also makes
a target of anyone
who belongs to the
kingdom of light.
Now verse 11 says,
because on account of him,
this dead man,
Lazarus,
who got new life,
many of the Jews
departed and believed
in Jesus.
See,
their religion,
it was not about truth.
It was about numbers.
I feel like I need
to repeat that
one more time.
The enemies of Christ,
their religion
was not about
the truth
of the reality.
Distort the reality
because their religion
was about numbers.
enemies,
those are enemies
of Christ.
They're coming after
Christ's people.
In 1 Kings chapter 1,
we're told
all these wonderful,
glorious promises
about David
and the son of David,
the one who would come
from the line of David.
When David is time
to hand over the crown
and the throne
to the next,
this is where Israel
gets shredded apart.
But something happens
before that.
We read that David
gave his royal mule
to Solomon
and paraded Solomon
into Jerusalem.
And Solomon was anointed
and he was enthroned
in public
with triumphal celebration.
So who would be
the one who would
sit on that throne
in Jerusalem
and rule over
all the people?
Not ultimately Solomon.
It was pointing
to Christ.
Of course he's going
to be a target
to God's enemies.
They want the power
and the money
and the numbers.
Look at verse 19.
The Pharisees
therefore said
to themselves,
see how you profit
nothing.
In other words,
you guys are losing.
Behold,
the world,
the cosmos
has gone after him.
What they saw
as their great problem
that the whole world
is going after Christ,
it was also a prophecy.
Their problem
was a prophecy.
The world is going
after this man
as though he's the king.
Yes,
and wait till you see him
in his glory.
The world
goes after him.
Zechariah 9.10
describes Christ
that he will speak
peace to who?
To the nations
and his rule
shall be from sea
to sea
and from the river
to the ends
of the earth.
Everywhere
that his word
by the power
of the spirit
flows,
everywhere,
it wins.
It prevails.
So picture that
like a Tucson desert
in the middle of Arizona,
dry as can be.
And then here comes
the monsoon river
just forms out of nothing.
Nothing can stop it.
And you can picture
a big boulder,
you know,
or like turns in the desert
and stuff like that.
Nothing can stop it.
It's going to flow
and it's going to cover
that entire desert
like an ocean.
That's what the word
by the power
of the spirit of God
does.
Well,
Martin Luther
was also targeted
by the enemies of God
and he wrote this hymn
in a moment
of great torment
and it became
the battle hymn
of the Reformation.
Luther,
notice how weak
he makes himself
compared to the might
of God.
Luther wrote,
did we
in our own strength
confide
our striving
would be losing.
For though this world
with devils filled
should threaten
to undo us,
we will not fear
for God
has willed
his truth
to triumph
through us.
So if you are
in the kingdom
of heaven
and he's given you
new life for the soul,
you do not need
to fear those enemies.
Know that you will
have a target
on your back
but do not fear them.
They belong
to the kingdom
of the flesh.
You are joined
to Christ
in the spiritual kingdom.
The darkness
wants to oppose
the light
but you belong
to the light.
The old
resists
the new kingdom,
the new life.
The old
will perish away.
The kingdom
of Christ
will endure
forever.
Which life
do you love
most?
Why would you
not bury
your earthly life?
Why would you
not trust
your soul
to the maker
of heaven
and earth
knowing that
he will keep
it and guard
it and protect
you and sanctify
your soul
for eternity
with him?
Well the last
observation
is that new
life
new life
is reformed
by Christ's
teaching.
When Christ
gives you new
life,
he doesn't just
leave you there
like a little
baby.
He teaches
you,
he feeds
you,
he grows
you,
he changes
you,
matures
you.
We're to
establish
and equip.
You know,
the church
is not just
to be planted
with shallow
roots,
we're to be
rooted and
grounded and
rising up
and bearing
fruit,
equipped like
an army
taking charge
with Christ
now,
going out.
And how
does he do
that?
How does he
establish and
equip us and
reform us?
He changes
your view of
others,
he changes
your view of
success,
of purpose,
and of honor.
Let's walk
through those
four.
First,
new life
in Christ,
it redefines
your view
of others.
Look at
verse 20.
There were
some
Greeks.
Now,
Greeks
represent
the world.
You know,
to the
Jewish mind,
you've got
the Jews
and you've
got everyone
else.
And they're
following after
Alexander the
Great conquered
the known
world,
so everyone
else is
Greeks.
And that's
the lingua
franca,
the language
they spoke.
There were
some Jews
among them
that came
up to
worship at
the feast.
Verse 21
said,
So these
came to
Philip,
who was
from Bethsaida
in Galilee,
and asked
him,
Sir,
we desire
to see
Jesus.
Now,
you notice
what's happening
is there's
no longer
Christ only
coming for
the Jews
already.
Remember that
prophecy?
The world
has gone
after him.
Yes,
and wait
till you
see.
Now,
in verse 22,
Philip went
and told
Andrew.
Andrew and
Philip went
and told
Jesus.
Now,
here Jesus
begins his
teaching.
We're going
to start it
here,
and the next
time we get
to John
will continue.
Verse 23,
Jesus answered
them,
The hour has
come for the
Son of Man
to be glorified.
When Jesus
hears that
the Greeks,
these non-Jews,
are coming to
see him,
Jesus knows
this is the
hour.
They are being
drawn here for
this very purpose.
They will be
at the Passover.
They will be
ones who will
watch me die,
and they will be
ones who will
bear witness with
their own eyes
that I raised
from the dead.
I laid down
my life so I
can take it up
again,
and these Greeks
who are coming
to see me,
they are here
for my divine
purpose.
They will be
the ones that
go back to
their own cities,
to their own
people,
some of them
to their own
countries,
bearing witness
of what they
are about to
see.
And to the
disciples,
he wants them
to be ready.
See,
the new life,
this one little
life with Lazarus,
this is getting
all of you ready
for the new
life that's about
to come.
your view of
these Greeks
needs to change.
These are your
family.
This is the
church.
These are your
brothers in the
battle.
Bring them on.
Let them hear my
teaching,
Jesus says.
Number two,
new life in
Christ,
it redefines not
only your view
of others,
it redefines your
view of success.
there were
these missionaries
who left
everything,
they had worked
hard,
they were educated,
and they felt
called to go to
a mission field
in a remote
part of the
world.
Well,
believers and
friends of theirs
from a church
went and visited
them and just
had to travel so
long to finally
get to where
they were.
And one of the
friends just
very innocently
just said,
man,
you guys are
really buried
way out here,
aren't you?
And the
missionaries
paraphrased
verse 24.
Jesus says,
truly,
I say to
you,
unless the
grain of
wheat falls
into the
earth and
dies,
it abides
alone,
but if it
dies,
it brings
forth much
fruit.
The
missionaries
said,
yes,
we are
buried way
out here.
And that's
how God
will bring
forth a
harvest.
See how
life in
Christ is
life abundant?
Life,
the new
life that
Christ brings,
it redefines
your view
of others,
it redefines
your view
of success,
and it
redefines
your view
of purpose.
In verse
25,
read that,
Jesus said,
he that
loves his
soul shall
lose it.
In the
Greek,
it's soul.
Now think
about this
in the
context.
Remember,
Lazarus is
mentioned here.
He's a little
picture of one
seed being
buried,
and without
the soul,
the body
is dead.
So he
that loves
his soul,
in other
words,
loves having
your soul
and your
body in
this world,
in this
life,
this earthly
life,
shall lose
it.
But he
that hates
his soul
in this
world,
he that
hates his
soul in
this world
shall keep
it to
everlasting
life.
That's a
hard teaching.
In the
Greek,
that's exactly
how it reads.
He that
hates his
soul in
this world
shall keep
it to
everlasting
life.
So notice,
the soul
continues.
If you're
loving your
soul in
the life
it has
right now
in the
body,
on this
world,
if that's
what you
love,
you'll
lose it.
But that
same soul
for everlasting
life will
be kept.
You will
keep it if you
bury your
life in the
body,
in the
flesh,
in this
earthly world
now.
That's the
hope of your
soul for
eternity.
Bury your
soul in
Christ if you
want to keep
it.
Lay down
your earthly
life in
Christ,
identify with
him in his
death and
burial in
this life,
and your
soul will
have the
hope of
resurrection
for the
life to
come.
Deuteronomy
4.9 says,
take care and
keep your
soul diligently
lest you
forget the
things that
you have
seen,
and lest
they depart
from your
heart all
the days
of your
life.
So how
do you keep
your soul?
You
remember what
God has
shown you.
You
remember what
your eyes
have seen
of the
glory of
God through
his word
by the
help of
the spirit.
And the
last one is
that new
life in
Christ,
it redefines
your view
of honor.
It
redefines
your view
of honor.
Look at
verse 26,
our last
verse.
Jesus says,
if anyone
serves me,
let him
follow me,
and where
I am,
there also
shall my
servant
be.
And if
anyone
serve me,
him will
my father
honor.
The
greatest
honor
is
redefined.
The
greatest
honor you
can have
in this
life is
to serve
Christ.
It's to
follow
him.
It's to
know him.
You see
the promise?
You get
to be
with him.
You get
to be
with Christ
forever.
That's the
greatest
honor the
father can
show you.
His son
enthroned,
ruling over
the new
heavens and
the earth,
and you
are with
him.
So
Christ's
new life,
it transforms
everything.
Which life
do you
love most?
Romans 6
4 says
that we
were buried
therefore with
Christ in
baptism into
death in
order that
just as
Christ was
raised from
the dead
by the
glory of
the father,
we too
might walk
in newness
of life.
If Christ
has saved
you and
given your
soul life
in him,
then you
are like
Lazarus,
you are
living for
him.
He raised
you,
he gave
you new
life in
the soul
now so
that you
will walk
in that
newness of
life.
Don't you
want heaven
to be in
you before
you're in
heaven?
sin?
I know the
battle against
the flesh
in this
life in
this world,
sometimes it
feels like
we're losing,
but remember
the promise,
we sang this,
that Jesus
breaks the
power of
reigning sin,
he sets the
prisoner free,
and it's his
blood that
can make the
foulest clean,
even you and
me,
because his
blood availed
for me.
There are
two lives,
Jesus gives
new life,
and it
changes
everything.
My prayer
for you has
simply been
that,
that you
will want
and love
the life
of his
kingdom more
than anything
else,
and that by
going to
Christ once
again today,
you will
have that,
that life
is yours.
Let's pray.
Amen.
from Ephesians
chapter 4,
verse 22.
Lord,
help us to
put off our
old self,
which belongs
to our
former manner
of life.
That old
life has been
corrupted,
our desires
have been
deceitful,
and help us
instead,
Lord,
to be renewed
in the spirit
of our minds
to put on
the new self.
Thank you
that you
have created
us after
the likeness
of God
in the true
righteousness
and holiness
that Christ
himself put
on to his
people.
Help us
to trust you
with this.
Amen.