Sunday Sermon
sunday morning 27th July 2008
Jesus is the light who shows us God through our belief in him.
John chapter 12.
Time wise end of the story is at hand!
In the first 11 chapters we have had a brief overview of the public ministry of Jesus. Now into chapter 12 we are only a week away from the crucifixion.
This is a chapter of transition. Jesus moves from the public stage to the hidden private world of his close followers. His public ministry ends in this chapter and fittingly John ends it with a call to believe and a warning against unbelief - using the voice of Jesus to conclude - “then Jesus cried out” v44
V1 “six days before the Passover”. Jesus was killed on the Friday, that would make this the Saturday - that is the Jewish Sabbath. His time was getting closer!
Thus chapter 12 sets the scene for the run down to the Cross.
The first thing we see in v1-11 is Jesus being anointed for burial v7.
Then v12-19 the acknowledgement of the Jewish crowds as to who Jesus was.
Then v20-21 the acknowledgment of the Greeks as to who Jesus was.
Then v23-28 the confession of Christ as to his purpose - to die.
Then v28-29 the Father again shows His approval of Jesus. Fathers acknowledgment.
Then 30-33 further confession by Jesus as to his purpose and death.
Then v34 a final word from the crowd - questioning Jesus as to how the Christ can possibly die!
Then v35-36 Jesus makes one last plea for followers. Then goes into hiding!
Then v37-43 there is Editorial comment to explain the unbelief/belief of the people.
Then v44-50 John ends the chapter with a final word from Jesus.
A final call to believe and a warning to unbelievers.
We will look at the closing statements from Jesus in v44-46 (picks up from v36)
Jesus the Light who reveals God:
1) Jesus the Light: John 12:46 I have come into the world as a light,
The purpose of light is to take away darkness.
With lights on people are no longer in the dark.
Jesus is like a light: he puts out darkness.
More - he has come into the world “as a light”! his purpose was to bring light!
We have seen this before in the Gospel “I am the light” -8v12, 9v5. Etc.
Why should there be such a focus on light? Because of what it represents - illumination. Jesus came in order to reveal God to the world!
What does this tell us about God? That He desperately wants to be known!
He is not hiding, distant, reclusive …
Our mission as the people of God is to carry on this work of Christ. To make God known.
2A) what does the light show?
John 12:44 Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. (ESV John 12:44 And Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me.)
The Light shows the Sender.
Note: these are his last public words and he shouts them out!
He wants to leave the crowd a lasting impression, a lasting thought, revelation.
He wants to assure them that they are not abandoning Yahweh if the believe in him. What compassion he has even at this point for the crowds who will shortly cry out for his death. He wants them to believe.
Our job as the people of God is not only to reveal God but to want to do so. To have a compassion for the lost and a desire to see their salvation, regardless of what that may cost us.
2B) Jesus is more than a light!
John 12:45 45 When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me.
Jesus in fact is more than a light, Col 1:15 “He is the image of the invisible God”
He is the picture of God, the image, the icon.
The word for ‘image’ in Col 1v15, can be translated ‘statue’.
What a great picture that give us.
If we were to build a statue of God we would simply need to build one of Jesus.
Yet, a statue would never be able to hold all that we see of God in Christ, because it is the character, the nature of Jesus rather than his physical body that shows us God.
Belief in Jesus is belief in the Sender, beholding / seeing Jesus is seeing the Sender.
This is why everything we do as a church must be Jesus centred. Because in him we see God. Outside of Him we could be seeing anything but in him we are assured that we see God.
Which is a challenge for us. Are we Christ centred? Out for His glory, for the praise of His name?
How do we reveal Jesus in our day and age?
3) how do we turn the light on?
John 12:46 … so that no-one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
Jesus is the light, he shows us God. He is the image of God.
Darkness is life outside of God. It is basically life in our own strength.
It is sad, lonely and helpless.
But it does not need to be that way!
Jesus came so that is does not need to be that way!
His whole purpose in coming was to reveal God to the world, he came as the light!
So how do we turn on the light?
The batteries that put the light on are “BIM” Believes In Me.
Or the match that lights the candle is belief.
In order for us to see what he wants to show we must believe “in me”.
You don’t need to believe in anything else - just Jesus.
That is you don’t need to worry about church membership or church creeds or other people etc. Jesus says “believes in me”!
Jesus is the Light, who shows us God, through our belief in Him.
sunday evening 27th july 2008
3 lessons in the life of faith from Abraham.
Abram : part 2
Gen 12v6-9
Last time we left Abram he had received his call from God and told to go!
He obeyed. Sacrificing all that was left behind to follow the will of God.
Now we find him in the land journeying, travelling.
He is living the life of faith - and that is what faith is! it’s a life.
Faith is not an explanation or a philosophy. It is a life with God.
We want to learn from Abraham the father of faith how to live that life.
So what do we learn of it in our text today?
1) As he travels God communicates again. V7.
Genesis 12:7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
We now know Abram has a live obedient faith.
He is in a living relationship with God and thus God communicated with him!
Genesis 12:7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
Previously in v1 we are told that God spoke to Abram.
Now we are told God appeared to him!
God first communicated by ‘saying / amar’
Now he communicates by ‘appears / raah’ then saying.
What God says when he appears is a further extension of the promise already given.
It is a promise of the land to Abraham’s “seed / offspring”. It simply makes explicit what was perhaps implicit in the first promise.
Abram is promised children! It is through his own seed that the great blessing will come!
Faith lesson 1:
In the life of faith we need to be open to the God who communicates.
We need in fact to desire God’s communication with us! Not that he will be stopped if we don’t want to hear him, it is just that if we don’t want to hear God then we might become deaf to his communication.
How does God communicate today?
Primarily through the bible. It is as we come under the Words authority that we learn all about Gods ways and character and thus are able to discern his leading and communication in our lives.
But we are individuals. God may speak in different ways to each of us.
To Abram he spoke, then he appeared! Different ways even to the same person.
The point is this: God communicates, we need then to be listening and responding.
Note: we need to be living obediently as far as we can to experience God’s appearing / speaking.
It is a relationship of obedience that is needed for a fullness of life with God.
2) Abram’s response is interesting.
Genesis 12:7 …. So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
He builds an alter to the LORD who had appeared to him!
When God spoke to him, he moved - obey - went on the journey.
When God appeared to him, he “built an alter”
This is the first alter that Abram builds.
There are a few more that we come to along this story of Abram.
What does it mean to build an alter? It means to worship.
That is to acknowledge God. To take note of God. To take time with God.
To stop and do something for God. An alter has no practical purpose!
It’s not a house or a hobby or work.
It is an act of faith. It says I believe, I worship, I love, I give thanks, I adore.
Faith lesson 2:
The life of faith reaches out in acts of worship. Responds by acts of worship.
Yes the whole life is an act of worship but there are also special formal times of worship. Every Sunday when we meet together is “building and alter”. Reading and praying each day is “building and alter” etc. Our lives of faith need alters.
It is where we publicly profession our belief in the God who communicated to the world. Who spoke the world into being and who appeared to the world in the flesh. Alters are testimonies! Every time we make a stand and say “God is here” we are building an alter. Worship, praise, thanksgiving, adoration, devotion etc.
That is what we need in our lives of faith.
Faith dies without alters - they do more for us than they do for God. Alters strengthen our faith, because by them we are giving up for God. We are sacrificing.
Whatever it is we are sacrificing for the sake of the Lord - a bit of self respect, a loss of face before men, our time, job promotion etc.
Each alter God will view and bless abundantly.
As was the case with Abram.
3) v8-9 Abram builds and alter and calls on the name of the LORD.
Genesis 12:8-9 From there he went on towards the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
9 Then Abram set out and continued towards the Negev.
This is the first reference to Abram actually doing the talking to God!
Perhaps that was the blessing that flowed from the first alter!
He realised that Yahweh could be spoken to! His faith, his life, his soul was growing!
This second alter marks a step up in gear for Abram’s faith.
Faith lesson 3:
Faith speaks to Yahweh. We can call upon him, we can pray!
We can seek his direction! Abram moved on to another place after calling upon Yahweh - was this next move communicated to him through prayer?
Yes I think so because v9 follows on right after this 2nd alter event.
The life of faith is always on the move with God and this is best done through prayer.
So faith is open to the God who speaks, worships the God who appears and responds in prayer to this Speaking and Appearing LORD.
The only difference between our faith and Abram’s is that we have more to go on. We have Jesus Christ. We have God speaking and appearing to us in Him!
