John 12:1-50
The people were constantly asking for Jesus to give them a sign that would prove to them His identity. He did miracle after miracle yet so many of them simply refused to believe. This chapter has testimony after testimony of people who attested to the deity of Christ through their words and their actions yet all around these multitude of testimonies there are people who ignore the message and persist in their unbelief.
THE TESTIMONY OF LAZARUS: Lazarus had been in the grave and now he was hosting Jesus and many others in his home. In today's world Lazarus would have been on CNN or at least FOX and had a book published about his after death experience. Lazarus was literally a living testimony to the deity and power of Christ. Many people believed his testimony, but the Pharisees, thought they knew it to be true preferred to try to kill Lazarus again in order to protect themselves and try to suppress the truth.
THE TESTIMONY OF MARY: Mary anoints the feet of Jesus with a perfume that was almost the equivalent of a years wage. This act of worship and sacrifice was a clear testimony to the identity of Christ and a great example of the love that all should have had for the Master. Judas pretends to be concerned about the poor while criticizing Mary's act of worship, but John tells us that his true motive was his desire to pocket the money for himself. Before we get too critical of Judas we must ask ourselves how often we rob God of the worship He deserves from us because we prefer to pad our pockets with money.
THE TESTIMONY OF THE MULTITUDES: The crowds came out in droves to welcome Christ to the city. The text says that many of them were true believers in Christ. The crowd testified to the deity of Christ through this act of worship and their words of praise hailing Him as King. Yet despite the clear testimony of these multitudes of people so many continued to doubt and even plot against Him. They had seen and heard so much but they simply would not believe.
THE TESTIMONY OF THE GREEKS: The fact that these Greek men, who had seen and heard far less the the Jewish people, believed in Christ and came to seek Him out, proves that Jesus had given ample evidence of who He was. People to who He had never sought to reveal Himself clearly understood from the stories that they had heard. Yet the people to whom Christ came, the people to whom Moses and the prophets wrote, claim that He has yet to prove that He is the Son of God. These Greeks will be clear evidence that will be presented against these Jews at the day of judgment.
THE TESTIMONY OF THE FATHER: As if all of the miracles and testimonies were not enough, the Father speaks from heaven in answer to the Son's request. It is not often that the voice of God is heard from in an audible way, but it has now happened at least three times with Jesus, at His baptism, the transfiguration and now here. Despite this supernatural revelation clearly given by the Father the people pretend that all they heard was thunder. When people do not want to believe they will go to amazing lengths to convince themselves and others of their lies.
THE TESTIMONY OF THE PROPHETS: Jesus clearly show to all who will listen that He has been spoken of by Isaiah the prophet of the Old Testament who not only reveled who Christ would be but also how the men of His day would respond. The unbelievers are fulfilling prophecy by their rejection of Christ and Jesus clearly reveals this to them yet they persist in their unbelief. That, by definition, is a hard heart.
THE TESTIMONY OF CHRIST HIMSELF: Christ plainly tells them all what they have been begging Him to reveal. But they are not about to believe Him. They use His words to condemn Him calling His declaration of deity to be blasphemy. Perhaps one of the saddest commentaries in the whole chapter is that many did believe Jesus but their fear of men and desire to please men out weighed their fear of God and desire to please Him so they did not confess Christ despite having been convinced of the truth. How sad! May we ever cling to the everlasting glory of God and never trade it for the passing popularity of the men around us. It is a very dangerous thing to try to clamour for the attention and the affections of men, for they will always deter and distract us from the worship of and trust in our eternal God and Father and His Son Jesus Christ. May our hearts be drawn to the worship, fear and admiration Him and Him alone.
THE TESTIMONY OF LAZARUS: Lazarus had been in the grave and now he was hosting Jesus and many others in his home. In today's world Lazarus would have been on CNN or at least FOX and had a book published about his after death experience. Lazarus was literally a living testimony to the deity and power of Christ. Many people believed his testimony, but the Pharisees, thought they knew it to be true preferred to try to kill Lazarus again in order to protect themselves and try to suppress the truth.
THE TESTIMONY OF MARY: Mary anoints the feet of Jesus with a perfume that was almost the equivalent of a years wage. This act of worship and sacrifice was a clear testimony to the identity of Christ and a great example of the love that all should have had for the Master. Judas pretends to be concerned about the poor while criticizing Mary's act of worship, but John tells us that his true motive was his desire to pocket the money for himself. Before we get too critical of Judas we must ask ourselves how often we rob God of the worship He deserves from us because we prefer to pad our pockets with money.
THE TESTIMONY OF THE MULTITUDES: The crowds came out in droves to welcome Christ to the city. The text says that many of them were true believers in Christ. The crowd testified to the deity of Christ through this act of worship and their words of praise hailing Him as King. Yet despite the clear testimony of these multitudes of people so many continued to doubt and even plot against Him. They had seen and heard so much but they simply would not believe.
THE TESTIMONY OF THE GREEKS: The fact that these Greek men, who had seen and heard far less the the Jewish people, believed in Christ and came to seek Him out, proves that Jesus had given ample evidence of who He was. People to who He had never sought to reveal Himself clearly understood from the stories that they had heard. Yet the people to whom Christ came, the people to whom Moses and the prophets wrote, claim that He has yet to prove that He is the Son of God. These Greeks will be clear evidence that will be presented against these Jews at the day of judgment.
THE TESTIMONY OF THE FATHER: As if all of the miracles and testimonies were not enough, the Father speaks from heaven in answer to the Son's request. It is not often that the voice of God is heard from in an audible way, but it has now happened at least three times with Jesus, at His baptism, the transfiguration and now here. Despite this supernatural revelation clearly given by the Father the people pretend that all they heard was thunder. When people do not want to believe they will go to amazing lengths to convince themselves and others of their lies.
THE TESTIMONY OF THE PROPHETS: Jesus clearly show to all who will listen that He has been spoken of by Isaiah the prophet of the Old Testament who not only reveled who Christ would be but also how the men of His day would respond. The unbelievers are fulfilling prophecy by their rejection of Christ and Jesus clearly reveals this to them yet they persist in their unbelief. That, by definition, is a hard heart.
THE TESTIMONY OF CHRIST HIMSELF: Christ plainly tells them all what they have been begging Him to reveal. But they are not about to believe Him. They use His words to condemn Him calling His declaration of deity to be blasphemy. Perhaps one of the saddest commentaries in the whole chapter is that many did believe Jesus but their fear of men and desire to please men out weighed their fear of God and desire to please Him so they did not confess Christ despite having been convinced of the truth. How sad! May we ever cling to the everlasting glory of God and never trade it for the passing popularity of the men around us. It is a very dangerous thing to try to clamour for the attention and the affections of men, for they will always deter and distract us from the worship of and trust in our eternal God and Father and His Son Jesus Christ. May our hearts be drawn to the worship, fear and admiration Him and Him alone.
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