Preached in Markham Baptist Church, April 1, 2007

WE WOULD SEE JESUS!

As Jesus came into Jerusalem all those years ago, riding on a donkey, all eyes were fixed on Him. And so with us this morning. Let us fix our attention on Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith. I have two words this morning – a word of explanation and a word of application.

First a word of explanation.

As we open our Bibles to John 12 we discover that this is the hour of apparent triumph. You will notice that in verse 12 of this chapter Jesus is being ushered into the city of Jerusalem. People are waving palm branches and shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” The narrow streets of that city echo with shouts, “Blessed is the King of Israel.”

The Pharisees in verse 19 look on the whole event with jealousy and disdain, saying, “Look how the whole world has gone after him.”

The disciples must have felt this too, but they would have said these words with delight and satisfaction – finally the one whom we have followed for the last three years as our leader and master is getting the recognition that He deserves.

Then John tells us in verse 20 of some religious Greeks who are in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. They approach Philip saying, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.”

Now obviously, they have already seen Jesus. He was a public figure, He wasn’t in seclusion. They could see Jesus at any time. What they want is to set up an appointment to meet with Jesus. Just why they wanted to meet with Jesus is unclear, perhaps they had seen Him clear the temple and wanted to meet the one who dared to challenge the establishment. Maybe they were coming to see Him out of idle curiosity. We don’t know the reason.

We do know that they never got their appointment. Jesus replies to the request in verse 23 saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.”

Now if I were Philip, I would probably interrupt Jesus and ask, “Yeah, well does that mean you’ll see them or not?” But thankfully we have been given the Holy Spirit and we aren’t so slow to realize that Jesus is using this opportunity to teach. He answers the question in a round about way. He says, “Yeah you can see me, but no you can’t see me. You can’t see me if you think I have come to set up some earthly kingdom and some powerful empire. That’s not what I’m about.”

In fact Scripture teaches us that He came to tear down the kingdoms of this world. This is what Mary prophesied at the news of His birth – she said, “He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.”

He says if you really want to see me, if you really want to know what I’m about and understand who I am and what I’ve come to do then look to the cross. Because what I’ve come to do is to die. I haven’t come to set up some earthly kingdom. No, I have come to tear down the kingdoms of this earth but I won’t do it in the way you think I will. I will do it by dying, even as a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies. So I will die. But in dying I will destroy everything that enslaves and keeps people in bondage and I will give life.

That’s why He says at verse 23,“The hour has come for the son of Man to be glorified.”

That means, “the hour has come for the Son of Man to be put on display, to be honoured.” As Jesus looked forward to the cross, He saw it as a cross of glory. Now is the time for the Son of Man to be honoured. Doesn’t that sound strange? He’s looking forward to the cross, speaking of His death by the most shameful and cruel means known to humanity and He says, “You want to see me? You want to see me in all my glory, honoured by people of all nations? Then look to the cross, that’s my throne.”

That just turns our world upsidedown and our thinking and our values upsidedown. Charles Spurgeon points out, “The world seeks to win glory by the slaughter of others – Christ seeks to win glory by the slaughter of himself. The world seeks to get a crown of gold – he seeks a crown of thorns. We think that glory lies in being exalted over others. Christ sees that glory lies in becoming a servant of all in obedience – even to death on the cross.”¹

The world looks at the cross and sees shame, defeat, scandal and death. But in fact it is there that Christ is glorified, for there on that cross is not shame but esteem; it is not scandal but honour’ it is not defeat but triumph. Is not death but life. There is the darkest moment in human history we see light.

So we say with Paul, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.” (Galatians 6:14)

You see, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” That’s the glory of the cross.

Now Jesus continues at verse 27 and says, “Now my heart is troubled.” Why did He say that? Because He is thinking of the cross and He realizes that there on the cross He will carry the sin of the world and experience the full wrath of God.

Peter says in his first letter, 1 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”

And again in 1 Peter 3:18, “Christ died for sins once for all.”

That’s why His heart is troubled. You know, really, the physical pain that He experienced on the cross was nothing compared to the pain that was inflicted on Him by divine wrath and judgment. The whole judgment of the world was upon Him, so the only cry of anguish that came from His lips are, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He is giving expression to the reality of the forsakenness He was experiencing.

And so He says at verse 27, “Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say – ‘Father, save me from this hour? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father glorify your name.’ ”

In other words, “Lord, may your will be done.” And in that sentence we see our Lord dying to self and living in full obedience to the One who sent Him.

And immediately a voice comes from heaven, ”I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

This is the third time that we have read of a voice that comes from heaven. We read of it, at Jesus’ baptism, at the start of His public ministry. We read it in the story of the Transfiguration – the middle of Jesus’ ministry. And here in our text at the end of Jesus’ ministry.

God the Father speaks to His beloved Son here for the benefit of those around, says Jesus at verse 30. This is so that you will know that God the Father has put His seal of approval upon the way that Jesus is going. This whole dying to self is God’s idea, it is God’s plan, and Jesus is doing God’s will.

At verse 31 Jesus says, “Now is the judgment of this world.” What does that mean? It means that the judgment of God is about to come – but it isn’t going to come like in Old Testament times – smoke, fire, earthquake, disease and pestilence. No, now it was going to be focused on one man – the man Jesus. It was to be the judgment that you and I were to face. It was the judgment of all sin for all time for all people. No wonder Jesus’ heart is troubled.

But through it two things will happen, says Jesus, beginning at the last half of verse 31. One is that the prince of this world will be cast out.

We turn to Colossians 2:14 for a commentary on this text where it says, “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

This is the victory that was won at the cross. Satan the prince of this world received a deadly blow and was dethroned from his supremacy over humanity and cast out as ruler of this world. The head of the serpent was bruised.

But there is another effect of the cross. Not only will Christ be victorious over the prince of the world, but through the cross, Christ will be victorious over the hearts of individuals everywhere. He says at verse 32, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

This signifies, John tells at verse 33, the type of death that Jesus would die. Jesus is referring to the cross, just as He has all through this text. He is referring to His lifting up on the cross – to die as an atoning Saviour for all humanity.

So that is a note of explanation. Now let’s take some time think of its application. And I’d like us to think first of the centrality of the cross in the proclamation of the Church.

It is an awesome truth that the centre of our faith is the cross of Christ. It is the centre of our proclamation. We are a people who preach Christ crucified. Even though for some the cross of Christ is offensive because it means that we have to admit that we are sinners in need of a Saviour. Even though it means that we have to admit that we have failed in our attempts to be godly, we still preach Christ crucified.

Even though for some others the cross of Christ is foolishness – it is foolishness, they say, to think that humanity is lost in sin and in need of forgiveness from God. We still preach Christ crucified.

We believe here at Markham Baptist Church that it is better to have empty pews and to preach the cross than it is to have a huge congregation and preach some philosophy of this world.

That’s not an accepted idea is some other churches. I remember reading in Macleans magazine an article that examined the North American church. And it is apparent that the North American Church is trying just about anything to win the attendance of the baby boomer. In Houston Texas, Second Baptist Church hosts a series of Broadway style musical shows including, “Hooray for Hollywood” in order to be contemporary and draw people into the church. One of the ideas that caught my eye is that it stages an annual wrestling event in which the staff members compete. (I’m going to put that one on the agenda for our next staff meeting.) One pastor at a church in Newmarket is quoted as saying that, “churches need to get into the entertainment business.”

Now I’m all for using our imagination and God-given creativity to proclaim the gospel. We have the most amazing truth that the world has ever heard and so it should be presented the most imaginative and creative God-honouring ways we can think of. God forgive us if we are ever boring, stale or dry in proclaiming of the gospel.

But let’s never lose sight of the central fact of the cross of Christ. And isn’t that demonstrated best, not so much in shows, wonderful choirs, or even excellent preaching, but in lives that seek to die to self and live for God?

I think Paul’s example is one that we need to follow. When he worked among the Corinthians he said, “When I came to you brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with the demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom but on God’s power.”

The world may not think that the cross is not much, that it is outright foolishness, but let’s not fall into that trap. No, for those of us who are being saved it is the power of God.

It is Christ crucified that has the power to draw all people to Himself. It is Christ crucified that demonstrates the love of God to you and to me. It is Christ crucified that meets our needs as an atoning Saviour and who saves us from the wrath of God.

Let’s see the cross as our Lord saw the cross who, with his last breath, saw hell’s power destroyed, Satan’s armies vanquished and Satan himself defeated. Who with the last beat of his heart, saw His people freed from their bondage to sin and eternally saved. Who with the last word from His lips, “It is finished,” saw the world conquered.

“Our Lord saw the cross as a door of victory so let His church proclaim the truth of it boldly and with conviction.” (Spurgeon op. cit.)

Now here’s the second lesson. If you would see Jesus, look to the cross.

There may be some here today who have the same request as the Greeks who came to Philip. They said, “We would see Jesus.” That’s a wonderful prayer. It is a noble prayer and if you pray it – it will be answered if … if you will look to the cross.

So many people say, “We would see Jesus.” But they do not want to see the Jesus of the cross. They want to see what I call the game show host Jesus. That is, if they rack up enough good points in life then Jesus will shower them with blessings, perhaps make them rich beyond their dreams and shower on them favour and wealth. Don’t show us the Jesus of the cross, for He asks that we die to those kind of dreams.

Some others say, “We would see Jesus.” But only the Christmas Jesus. Show us the Jesus meek and mild. The small baby in His mother’s arms, non-threatening. I don’t want to see the Jesus of the cross who makes me realize that I am a sinner in need of a Saviour.

Some others says, “We would see Jesus.” But only Jesus the moderate. Don’t show us the Jesus who went against the status quo of His day by telling people that the meek will be blessed with an inheritance from the earth, who asks me to die in everything in this world. Show me the moderate who says I can have both.

These folk will never see Jesus. For Jesus is fully known, and fully experienced only as we climb that hill outside Golgotha and see Jesus lifted up on the cross.

For it is only there at the cross that we will not only see, but more importantly experience our sins forgiven. It is only there that we will understand the depth of our sin, and the horror of our sin. It is only as we look at the cross that we will see how He became a curse for us, by taking our sin upon Himself. It is only there that we will find peace for our disturbed conscience and it is only there that we will experience His love for us. 1 John 3:16 – “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.”

If we would see Jesus in all His glory; in all His love for you then look to the cross.

Finally there is this lesson in this text. The cross must be central no only in our proclamation and in our seeking for Jesus but also in the living of our lives.

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus says in our text, “unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am my servant also will be.”

Is this your experience? Are you seeking to follow Christ by dying to self? I recently read a series of questions designed to help you consider this idea (adapted from a sermon preached by Bruce Goettsche, “Unpopular Discipleship”)

1. If there’s an inch of milk left in the bag do you drink it up and change the bag or do you leave it for the next person.

2. If there are two pieces of pie left do you take the big one or the little one?

3. If you have the choice between protecting yourself from possible rejection and standing up for the honour of Christ what do you do?

4. If you are confronted with obeying the Lord’s command to “not forsake the meeting together with believers” or to do something else on a Sunday what would you do?

5. When there’s a project going on at the church – do you always slip out quietly without helping or do you stay behind and give a hand.

6. If you have to choose between standing in the spotlight or turning the spotlight on another – even if you did the work – what would you do?

7. When you find yourself engaging in behaviour the Bible condemns do you repent or justify your actions?

My friends this text clearly teaches us that those who follow Jesus, live for Jesus and not for themselves. It means that being a true follower, you trust Christ completely not only for your salvation but also for your future. So we trust Him even when we don’t know where He’s leading. We trust Him when we don’t understand where He’s leading us. We trust Him when we don’t like where He’s leading us. We trust Him completely and die to our own self.

Thanks be to God for his cross, may it be central in our proclamation, of our church and our lives.

ENDNOTES:

From sermon, “Christ Lifted Up” Sermon # 139. Delivered by Charles Spurgeon on Sabbath Morning of July 5 1857.