1. The Christ and the Crisis
Four part series in John Chapter 12, Showing how He
relates to four different groups of people; the fourth:
“Just Jews”
John 12:37-50
2. The Crisis…
•John 12 records the second major crisis in Jesus’
ministry, as perceived by the disciples
•The first when multitudes left Him, (John 6:66)
•This last group is the unbelieving Jews
•He uses “believe” 8 times in this section
•John 12:37-38, 39, 40-41– quoting Isaiah he writes
they would not, could not, then should not believe
•Despite all the evidence, the Nation didn’t believe…
3. “37 But though He had performed so many signs
before them, yet they were not believing in Him.
38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the
prophet which he spoke: “LORD, WHO HAS
BELIEVED OUR REPORT? AND TO WHOM HAS THE
ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED?” 39 For this
reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said
again, 40 “HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE
HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WOULD
NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND PERCEIVE WITH
THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED AND I HEAL
4. THEM.” 41 These things Isaiah said because he
saw His glory, and he spoke of Him.
42 Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed
in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were
not confessing Him, for fear that they would be
put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the
approval of men rather than the approval of
God. 44 And Jesus cried out and said, “He who
believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in
Him who sent Me. 45 He who sees Me sees the
5. One who sent Me. 46 I have come as Light into
the world, so that everyone who believes in Me
will not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears
My sayings and does not keep them, I do not
judge him; for I did not come to judge the world,
but to save the world. 48 He who rejects Me and
does not receive My sayings, has one who judges
him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at
the last day. 49 For I did not speak on My own
6. initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me
has given Me a commandment as to what to say
and what to speak. 50 I know that His
commandment is eternal life; therefore the
things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told
Me.”
John 12:37-50, NASB
7. I. Though they heard, no belief...
•When one resists the “Light” a change begins
within
•God allows a “judicial blindness” to
envelope those who do not take
the truth seriously
•We see this over and over again in
Scripture
•This same quote about refusing to believe,
Matthew 13:14-15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; Romans
11:8
8. Dangerous to ignore God’s truth…
•To treat God’s truth lightly is a dangerous thing.
•Someone could well miss the
opportunity to be saved!
•Jesus just referred to Isaiah 55:6
9. “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found,
call ye upon Him while He is near”
Isaiah 55:6, KJV
10. Dangerous to ignore God’s truth…
•To treat God’s truth lightly is a dangerous thing.
•Someone could well miss the
opportunity to be saved!
•Jesus just referred to Isaiah 55:6
•What did you notice?
•There is a recurring theme
throughout Scripture that indicates the temporary
nature of God’s call to the individual lost man
11. Remember this painting?
•It is used completely out of
context, but the idea is correct
•He will not call forever
•Think of it like the old days of
land lines, letting it ring…
•Jesus will eventually give up
•Don’t however confuse this with
1 Corinthians 7:14
12. “12 But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any
brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she
consents to live with him, he must not divorce
her. 13 And a woman who has an unbelieving
husband, and he consents to live with her, she
must not send her husband away. 14 For the
unbelieving husband is sanctified through his
wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified
through her believing husband; for otherwise
your children are unclean, but now they are
holy.” 1 Corinthians 7:12-14 NASB
13. II. There were those who hid belief…
•Remember Nicodemus and
Joseph of Aramathea?
•They were of this group at first
•Eventually, they openly con-
fessed Jesus as Lord, Jn 19:38
•Early church had many priests
and Pharisees as members,
Acts 6:7, but they struggled
14. II. There were those who hid belief…
•Struggles between God’s Glory
and man’s praise, Jn 12:25-26
•Remember how costly it was to
become excommunicated
•“Secret Believers” wanted the
best of both worlds
•John 5:44
15. “How can you believe, when you receive glory
from one another and you do not seek the glory
that is from the one and only God?”
John 5:44, NASB
16. III. The last word emphasizing Faith…
•Vv 44-50 are his last words to the people before
He “hid Himself” from them
•Several of the basic themes of John’s Gospel are
repeated here:
•God Sent the Son
•Seeing the Son is Seeing God
•Jesus is the Light of the world
•His words are God’s words
•Faith in Him brings Salvation, Rejection= Judgment
17. IV. “Judge” is repeated 4 times…
•In the closing words of this last message
•He didn’t come to judge, but to save
•But if the Sinner won’t trust the Savior,
the Savior must become the judge
•Imagine being judged by the very words
you heard and ignored! (v 48)
•We actually pass judgment on ourselves!
•Take Away…
18. What “Jesus” you’ve seen in 12 chapters…
•His life
•His ministry
•His miracles
•His message
•You’ve considered the evidence
•Have you been convicted that He is the
Son of God, the Savior of the world?
•Trusted Him and received eternal life?
19. “ While you have the Light, believe in the Light,
so that you may become sons of Light.”
John 12:36, NASB
20. What was the Take-Away?
The opportunity is fleeting……
