The ‘Last Day’ Judgement! John 12:44-50

Text:  “He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him; the WORD that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”

John 12:48.

Good morning, Christian believer in God’s Word!  When God’s Word is openly and publicly proclaimed it fulfills a twofold purpose: it softens the hearts of those who will believe and receive Christ’s Salvation; and it hardens the hearts of those who just will not be saved.  This is a Gospel fact!

“For He (the Lord God) saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.  So then (a conclusion) it is not of him that willeth (the will of man), nor of him that runneth (human deeds), but of God that sheweth mercy…therefore hath He (the Lord God) mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth.”                        (Romans 9:15-18)

If the Word of God in our Bible makes sense - don’t try to make it nonsense!  We are called to believe God’s Word, not to belittle it!

“God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent; hath he said, and shall He not do it?  Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?”  (Numbers 23:19)

The problem in the world in general, and even in some sections of ‘the church’ universal, is that, man’s will won’t let God be God.

In fact, some professing Christians, and Christian leaders, seem to think that they are more merciful than the Lord God Almighty!  In their proud hearts, they refuse to let God be God Almighty.  They dare to ask the question rhetorically posed by the apostle Paul in the Book of Romans: “What shall we say then?  Is there unrighteousness with God?  God forbid.”  (Romans 9:14)

Some, obviously believing that they are more merciful and compassionate than the Lord God, would cry ‘Unfair!’, when a preacher faithfully proclaims the fact that God ‘…will have mercy on whom (He) will have mercy…and whom He will He hardeneth.’  (Romans 9:15-18) 

To this truth from God’s Word they cry, ‘Unfair!’  They refuse to believe that God has power over His own Creation and thus, by their bleatings, would instantly seek to limit the Almighty in His power!  How pathetic can one be?  How self-righteous can one become?  God is God, and He is God ALONE!

Another look at our chosen text for this morning’s Bible Lesson should immediately reveal the peril involved in taking such an attitude:

“He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him; the WORD that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”   (John 12:48)

On that great ‘last day judgement’; the final reckoning for all mankind’s souls - the Eternal bottom-line will be one question: what way have we received the Lord  Jesus Christ, God’s Word in the flesh.  Did we believe Him, or did we reject Him?

The words that the Word Personified - Christ Jesus - spoke when He was sent to us by incarnation (God in bodily form)’ are what will judge us ‘…in the last day.’

If we, by God-given faith, truly believe God’s Word - then we will receive His Word and seek to be subject to His Word, in Christ Jesus, His Son.

If we, through lack of God-given faith, reject, detract, or debate against God’s sent Word - then we have nothing to look forward to, only a fearful burning in the tormenting fires of an Eternal, never-dying, flame.  (Ephesians 2:8-10)

God the Father sent His only begotten Son, Christ Jesus, the Word of God, with a Divine message for sinners such as we:  Believe, repent from sin, receive Christ’s Salvation, trust in His full Atonement Sacrifice, and be forever saved.  This is the Gospel message of Eternal Salvation, there is no other!  (Acts 4:12)

“For I (Christ Jesus) have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.  And I know that His commandment is LIFE everlasting; whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so I speak.”  (Vs. 49-50)

The message is therefore crystal clear:  “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”  (Acts 16:31)  Reject Him, and be forever lost!  Take heed NOW!

“Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth (of every nation); for I am (Jehovah) God, and there is none else.”  (Isaiah 45:22)  Hallelujah!

Thought:  God’s Word has spoken - believe and receive His Salvation today!

Praises of God, Or Praises of Men? John 12:42-43

Text:  “…Choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Jehovah).”

Joshua 24:15.

Good morning, fully committed Christian!  For your full commitment to the Living Lord God, in Christ Jesus, you have not received the praises of world leaders, worldly Governments, or the so-called ‘great and good’.  Yet, I am fully persuaded, that you have, and will continue to receive, the praises of God Himself - and for such a privilege as this, all other praise fades into insignificance.  Glory to the Lamb Who alone is worthy to be praised!

“And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect (mature) and an upright man, one that feareth God, and eschewed (continually shuns, flees from, abstains from) evil?”  (Job 1:8)

As we can understand, from the verse of Old Testament Scripture above quoted, things happen when the Lord God sees fit to praise one of His servants.  Terrible things happen, that are often not easy to bear!

Old Satan was incensed when the Lord God praised His servant Job.  He immediately set about to persecute Job, to see if he could get Job to fail God, and thus abrogate God’s praise of the man.  Satan still works in this manner today.

When, by God’s great grace and power, we receive faith to believe the Gospel message of Salvation in Christ, and through His Cross alone - we are immediately tested by the world, the flesh, and old Satan - in an effort to bring our new found faith in Christ to nought.  Was that your experience?

Our faith is tested constantly, as the Devil probes our many weaknesses in order to cause us to sin against our Saviour’s grace.  And the Lord permits our faith to be tested in this manner, but assures us of His keeping power:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again (born again, Spiritually regenerated us) unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you, who are KEPT by the power of God through faith unto Salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptation: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:3-7)

Like the precious metal, gold, our faith, being much more precious, is tried and tested over and over again - until, in the end, it is utterly purified, and fit for the Lord God’s praise.  Wow!  What a privilege to be part of this Eternal process!  The Lord God Almighty is constantly caring for you and for me!

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13)

Job’s sufferings in the service of God were extreme and severe indeed.  Few of us today go through the extremes of Job’s sufferings, but sufferings and persecutions are an integral part of any sincere Christian believer’s life. 

No suffering, no persecutions for faith - no real Christian witness for Christ!  We cannot have God’s praises without a blasting from Hell!

Today’s Scripture passage clearly informs us that, “…among the chief rulers also MANY believed on Him (Jesus); but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praises of men more than the praises of God.”  (Vs.42-43)

These early church believers did not have the wisdom nor experience of 2000 odd years of Christianity to encourage a bolder witness for Christ.  They quite naturally feared being ‘…put out of the synagogue…’ and all the religious and social marginalization that would bring.  Not much has changed today.

Only after Christ’s terrible Crucifixion, did Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea come out publicly as Christian believers!  But out they came, eventually!               (John 19:38-42)

I have often taught the fact that there can be no such person as a ‘secret Christian’ - if we are saved by Christ, then we must seek to be His open witnesses.  Bold Christian witnessing brings the praises of God to us.

Thought:  Do we seek to have praise of God, or praise of mere men?

Walking In God’s Light John 12:34-41

Text:  “Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you.  Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you; for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not wither he goeth.” 

John 12:35.

Good morning, children of the Light!  Christ Jesus, ‘the light of the world…’ has called you and I out of sin’s darkness and into His light - let us determine to walk in that Spiritual light with Him, lest some terrible darkness causes us to sin against our Saviour.

“Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.  They speak vanity every one with his neighbour; with flattering lips and with a double heart do the speak.”  (Psalm 12:1-2)

Apostasy is dictionary defined as follows: (noun) abandonment of religious principles or party; a revolt from ecclesiastical obedience, from a religious profession, or from holy orders; defection.

Today, in the 21^st Century, we see a gross departing from ’…the faith once delivered unto the saints…’; an ever-increasing evidence of an open revolt against the Bible; against the God of the Bible; and against His Son, Jesus Christ.  We are in the midst of a great age of apostasy!  God forgive us all!

Our Bible passage this morning depicts Christ as ’…Light of the world…’, walking among the children of men, and marveling at their total unbelief.

“…Walk while ye have the Light, lest darkness (Spiritual darkness and apostasy) come upon you; for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not wither he goeth.  While ye have Light (Spiritual light), believe in the light, that ye may be the children of the light…”  (John 12:35-36)

However, while it is quite easy to imagine the unsaved walking in such Spiritual darkness - never having received Christ as Saviour and Lord - we Christian believers must also remind ourselves of our duty to daily walk in the light of Christ Jesus, which is only our reasonable duty. (Romans 12:1-2) 

The Christian has no excuse for continually walking in Spiritual darkness!

The Gospel message given from God concerning the only means of Eternal Salvation in His Son, Christ Jesus, does one of two vital things:  It softens the hearts of those whom God will save; and it hardens the hearts of all others who will never see Heaven, never find repentance and faith in Christ.

Today’s selected passage from John’s Gospel account clearly teaches the impossibility of Salvation for those whom God blinds to His truth.  Fact.

“Therefore (a conclusion to the lesson taught) they could not believe, because that Esaias (or Isaiah the prophet) said again, ‘He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them (Spiritually).’”   (V.39-40)

Oh yes, dear friend, without a doubt, Salvation is of the Lord God alone.  He has decided exactly whom He will save, and whom He will reject.  Our God is a Sovereign Lord God, and God must be Sovereign in all things pertaining to His own Sovereign Creation.  Hallelujah!  We serve a Sovereign Lord God!

“What shall we say then?  Is there unrighteousness with God?  God forbid.  For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.  So then (a conclusion) it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.”  Oh yes, God alone is God!  (Romans 9:14-16)  

As Christ Jesus hung upon that cruel Cross some short time later, the people that heard this teaching saw for themselves how He was ‘…lifted up from the earth…’, ‘…signifying what death He should die.’  (V.32-33)

Once the light of Christ’s life was given up, a great darkness indeed covered the earth; the grave sin of National Israel brought a darkness upon that nation that has never been lifted since.  Individual Jewish men and women have certainly been granted faith to believe Messiah Jesus’ message of Salvation and received His Sacrifice for sin.  Yet, in a National sense, Israel remains under the dark curse of sin.  We Christians must pray for Israel’s Salvation, as well as the turning of our own various nations to Christ from sin.

It is every Christian’s ‘…reasonable service…’ to God, to walk in His Light continually.  Children of the Light must walk in the Light of Christ. 

Thought:  Be honest!  Are you and I walking in Christ’s Light today?

Sin’s Curse Broken At the Cross! John 12:27-33

Text:  “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord (God the Father) hath laid on Him (God the Son) the iniquity of us all (‘His people’).”

Isaiah 53:6.

          “Who (Christ Jesus) His own self bare our sins in His own Body on the tree (Cross), that we (the elect of God), being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by Whose stripes ye were healed (Spiritually, from sin).  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”

                                                                                                    1 Peter 2:24-25.

Good morning, Divinely drawn Christian!  You and I who are born again of God the Spirit, though faith in Christ and His Cross of Atonement - by the free and matchless grace of our truly bountiful Lord God - have been drawn to Christ for Salvation, by the ‘…everlasting…’ cords of God’s love.  Praise God for such a truly wonderful Salvation!  Give God the glory, dear friend!

“The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

The dark cords of sin had us totally enslaved; we were bound prisoners in sins’ terrible grip.  Yet, at the Cross, the curse of sin was Eternally broken.  Glory, glory, glory to the Lamb Who is worthy!  Hallelujah!  Jesus reigns!

In verse 27 of our Bible passage for today we learn that Jesus, the Son of God, God the everlasting Son, was ‘TROUBLED’!  So, we immediately ask ourselves why such an Almighty and powerful Person was so ‘troubled’ in His soul?  When we ask ourselves the important questions, we always receive the important answers from God’s Word. 

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for every one that asketh (asks and continues to ask) receiveth (receives and continues to receive); and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened unto him.”  (Matthew 7:7-8)

Serious seekers after Bible truths always ask serious questions when studying God’s Word.  Ask God to enlighten your soul today, dear friend.

The Lord Jesus was, is, and always shall be totally SINLESS. That’s a Biblically authenticated fact.

Therefore, the only thing that could ever really ‘trouble’ such a sinless Being - was the prospect of taking sin upon Himself, or having sin upon Him.

However, Christ Jesus had come among us, His sin-cursed creatures, for one purpose only - to take the curse of our vile sins upon His sinless Self, suffer the just penalty for them; that we sinners, lost in sin, might receive God’s pardon and cleansing from all sin, and be redeemed by His Blood.

“…But for this cause (mankind’s redemption) came I unto this hour (the hour of Crucifixion).”  (V.27)

The Devil, a whole world of religious hypocrites; and the Jewish leadership had conspired together with the Romans to put Christ Jesus to death on that terrible Tree.  Yet, Christ, the Creator of that Tree, had come to brake the curse of sin by hanging there on it!  Jesus took our sinful curse upon Himself there, that we who would believe might take upon ourselves, by faith, His righteousness.  What matchless grace!  What unmerited mercy!

“For He (God the Father) hath made Him (God the Son) to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we (the sinful whosoevers)  might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”  (2 Corinthians 5:21)

On that eventful day of Christ’s Crucifixion, Satan, ‘…the prince of this world…’ was cast out; his power was broken; he became a defeated foe.

When the Lord Jesus was ‘…lifted up from the earth…’ upon that cruel Cross; Crucified, dead and buried in a tomb - He made the way to Heaven for all men/women who would receive faith by God’s grace, and be Eternally saved.  Hallelujah!  What a Saviour!  What a blessed Lord!

The curse placed upon all mankind - in our representative head, Adam - in Eden’s Garden was at last utterly broken for all who would believe.  The sting of sin, the power of Satan and, the hopelessness of death were broken by Christ upon that Cross.  The sheep who had gone astray were about to be gathered into the Fold once more; into true fellowship with the Lord God Almighty.  The Cross of Christ Jesus defeated sin’s curse forever.  Hallelujah!  We are saved!

Thought:  Let us humble ourselves and come to Christ’s Cross - there to be lifted up forever.  There’s room at the Cross for YOU.