Sunday School Lesson
November 8
Lesson 10 (KJV)
Abiding Love
Devotional Reading: Psalm 80:7–19
Background Scripture: John 15:4–17
John 15:4–17
4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
16. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
17. These things I command you, that ye love one another.
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Define how the vine/branches metaphor describes our relationship to Christ.
2. Connect love and obedience as complementary elements in the Christian life.
3. Identify ways to abide in Christ more faithfully.
HOW TO SAY IT
| Galilee | Gal-uh-lee. |
| Judas | Joo-dus. |
| Judea | Joo-dee-uh. |
| Samaria | Suh-mare-ee-uh. |
Introduction
A. Wired for Relationship
Most of us in the West are highly connected to others. We check our phones constantly for new texts, new posts, and new updates. Our thumbs are flying in response. We have internet news outlets that we check daily, not satisfied to wait for the evening news or the morning newspaper. Though family or friends live far away, their faces come to us instantly in video calls. We live online in many ways.
But these connections can be fragile or even illusory. Think of the lonely woman who connects with a man who lives 500 miles away, only to discover that the “man” is actually a bunch of “borrowed” pictures being used for a teenager’s entertainment. Or consider how easily an online connection can be severed, with just the click of a button. Though we are wired for relationships, we may find that those relationships are not always what we think and definitely not what we need.
Our lesson today speaks of a different type of connectedness, the one between Jesus and His followers. How does this work though? How can we be connected to Him?
B. Lesson Context
John 15 is at the center of the Farewell Discourse (John 13–17), a series of speeches and a prayer given by Jesus during the last supper. Generally, this section has material unique to John among the Gospels (see lesson 9 Lesson Context). The content makes up about 17 percent of the total text of John.
Jesus builds His case for mutual love by using common observations from the vineyard. The vineyard was a staple of agriculture in the ancient world. In the Bible, Noah is the first recorded grape grower (Genesis 9:20), and human society has prized the fruit of the vine ever since. The fruit thereby produced became a source of sustenance year-round, with many of the harvested grapes being converted into raisins and wine for later consumption (see 2 Samuel 16:1). One of the enticing descriptions of the promised land was its productive vineyards (Deuteronomy 6:10–11; 8:7–10). Indeed, a physical sign brought back by the ill-fated spying expedition into the promised land was a massive cluster of grapes (Numbers 13:23).
Vineyards were a common sight throughout Galilee, Samaria, and Judea in Jesus’ day. Besides today’s text, He also used vineyard imagery in His parables of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1–16), the two sons (21:28–32), the wicked husbandmen (21:33–39), and the barren fig tree (Luke 13:6–9). Common experiences regarding vineyards are also assumed in 1 Corinthians 9:7.
Grapevines would be pruned severely at a certain time of the year, leaving little more than a leafless, branchless stump that would be propped up with a rock or two. All the old branches would be cut off and carried away, providing valuable fuel for home fires.
After new branches had grown, a second pruning would occur to remove the smaller branches. This allowed the larger branches to produce bigger clusters of larger grapes. Such pruning was part of the process known as dressing the vines (Deuteronomy 28:39).
I. The Vine and the Branches
(John 15:4–8)
A. Connected and Fruitful (vv. 4–5)
4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
The same Greek word translated abide is translated many ways depending on context, including forms of remain (example: John 1:33), continue (example: 11:54), and dwell (example: 14:10). The same word appears in John 8:31 where Jesus proclaimed, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.” The word’s wide semantic range suggests many ways of staying connected. We cannot abide in the physical body of Jesus. We abide in Jesus when we follow His word, His teachings, as a result of our relationship with Him (6:56).
John’s first readers were little different from us when it comes to connecting with Jesus. They believed He rose from the dead and ascended to Heaven, as we do. But that happened 50 or 60 years earlier for John’s readers (see lesson 9 Lesson Context), making remembered face-to-face contact with their Lord unlikely. Yet John insisted that the command to abide in Christ was also for them. The vineyard metaphor reassures readers even today that we will see the fruit of our relationship with Jesus when we remain faithful to Him (see commentary on John 15:8, below).
| What Do You Think? What one extra practice can you adopt to strengthen your connection to the vine? Digging Deeper |
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
The vine is the main, above-ground stalk of the plant. Each grape plant will have one vine, but many branches splitting off it. The vine is the source of water and nutrients that come from the roots to nourish the branches and fruit. The branches need to stay connected to the vine if they are to live.
In the same way, disciples will be intimately connected to Jesus for life-giving spiritual nourishment and leadership. If this relationship is strong, the natural result will be the production of fruit.Grounded in Prayer
I recently took a tough job as the head of an organization that had faced many challenges in the previous year: a decrease in revenue, infighting among staff, and low productivity. I knew it would take time to learn about the people, the culture, and the backstory of the current challenge. I also knew that I would have to keep myself grounded in prayer in order to lead well.
As I researched records and met with stakeholders, I discovered that the problems were worse than I had been told. Some days were grueling as I searched through many documents. I was frustrated by the issues I was tasked with fixing. By the end of each work week, I felt exhausted. However, I noticed that the weeks that I experienced the most fatigue were those in which I sacrificed my time with God to keep working.
Jesus said, “Without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). Jesus is the very source of our life. Staying connected to Him is not an option; it’s a necessity.
—L. H.-P.B. Severed or Withered (vv. 6–8)
6. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Not all branches coming out of the vine are productive or even survive. Some branches are visibly damaged in various ways or even dead. Others simply have no fruit well into the growing season, thus becoming like parasites that suck life-giving water and nutrients from the vine and its roots. Such branches are removed from the vine to allow the remaining branches more room to flourish.
Fuel for fires was always in demand, but these branches seem to be a bonfire just to dispose of trash. This is an image of judgment (compare Luke 3:9). To be thrown into the fire is a negative judgment on the faithless and disobedient (see Ezekiel 19:12; Matthew 13:42; Revelation 20:15).
| What Do You Think? What false vine have you seen as most dangerous in drawing people away from Christ? Digging Deeper |
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.Jesus began a more direct description of what it means to abide in Him, tying it to having His words abide in a person. This means to have our ways of thinking and ways of acting guided by the teachings of Jesus. To live in Christ is to live with His commands and teachings as our chief influence (see Colossians 3:16).
Understanding this helps us know what Jesus meant when He promised that we can ask whatever we will and expect it will be done, a reference to prayer. This is not some sort of magical formula though. Praying to find a chest of pirate treasure so we can be rich would not be within the scope of Jesus’ promise. Even asking for good things may go against God’s will and thus not be given (example: Mark 14:35–36). In all cases, such asking and promised answering is only for those who are deep in the mind-set of Jesus (John 14:14). If we are abiding as He asks, we will not ask something that is clearly contrary to the will of our Lord (16:23–24).8. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Jesus summed this up in three ways. First, this faithful abiding and resulting obedience bring glory to the Father. Our actions reflect on our Lord. Faithful, gracious actions bring God glory. Second, faithful abiding will bear much fruit. This might be evidence of a godly life, what Paul described as the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22–23). It is also the reproduction of one’s life in the creation of new disciples.
This leads to the third item in Jesus’ summary: doing this is the core of being a disciple of Christ. Disciple, though now a churchly word, is similar to the English word student. Jesus is the teacher from whom we learn. He is the teacher we never outgrow. We are Jesus’ disciples for life.
| What Do You Think? In which area of discipleship are Christians weaker: their way of thinking or their way of living? Why? Digging Deeper |
The Lord and His Friends
(John 15:9–17)A. Loving, Joyful Obedience (vv. 9–11)
9. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
Jesus moved beyond the vine analogy to speak more directly about the relationship between His disciples and himself, and among the disciples themselves. He began with the most fundamental dynamic in the universe: God’s love. Jesus testified to the Father’s love for Him throughout the book of John. This love is demonstrated by the authority the Father gave the Son (John 3:35) and the Father’s revealing His plans to the Son (5:20). The Father also loves the Son for His willingness to give His life for sinners (10:17).
The love of the Father for the Son has no starting date (John 17:24). This relationship of love for the Son by the Father is eternal. It is therefore an unchanging quality that we can depend on. God’s love never changes and never fails. All these things that describe the Father’s incredible love for Jesus describe, in turn, Jesus’ incredible love for His disciples. Yet experiencing that love fully requires believers to continue in Jesus’ love.10. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
Jesus pushed the connection between command-keeping and love-abiding beyond His relationship with His disciples to the ultimate paradigm: His relationship with His Father. Jesus asked them to consider that He always kept His Father’s commands and never departed from His deep, abiding relationship with His Father.
We should remember that in our relationship with God, there is not a progression from command-keeping to being loved. We are not loved because we are obedient; we are loved because we are God’s creatures. We cannot earn God’s love. The relationship begins with the eternal love of the Father for us, just as the Father’s love for the Son has no beginning or end. We are obedient because we are loved and return that love through keeping the Father’s commandments. That is how we abide in the Father’s love.
| What Do You Think? What guardrails or spiritual disciplines can you put in place to ensure that your keeping of Jesus’ commandments does not result in pride or a sense of entitlement? Digging Deeper |
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.Loving God (and therefore being obedient to Him) is not drudgery. It brings joy, a full lifetime of joy. It may seem bizarre for Jesus to speak of great joy on the night of the last supper because of what lay ahead: agony in prayer (Luke 22:42–44), betrayal (22:48), a sense of abandonment (Matthew 26:56; 27:46; compare Psalm 22), unjust trials (Matthew 26:57–68; Luke 22:66–23:25), brutal beating (Matthew 27:26), and death by crucifixion (27:27–50). He would truly be the “man of sorrows” in the hours ahead (Isaiah 53:3). Sorrows are temporary, though, and the reward for endurance is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16–18). A little later, Jesus promised His disciples that their great sorrow and emotional pain would turn into joy (John 16:20–22), a situation aided by the coming of the Holy Spirit (16:12–15).
B. Great, Sacrificial Love (vv. 12–14)
12. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
This command is found in many places in the New Testament. In John’s Gospel, it is first introduced in 13:34. Paul also taught this command for believers (Romans 12:10; 13:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:9), as did Peter (1 Peter 1:22). Neither of these apostles learned this new commandment by reading John. Instead, the command was learned from Jesus himself, just as John records.
Therefore, this command is one of the core elements of being a Christian. A non-Christian may indeed be a loving person, but it is difficult to understand how a Christian could be an unloving person. There are many deep and complex issues to the Christian faith, but this is not one of them. When asked whom we must love, Jesus told a story of actively loving one’s enemies (Luke 10:25–37; see lesson 7). If we love our enemies, who are we entitled not to love?Earlier, Jesus taught that this was to be the ultimate sign of discipleship, a demonstration that would mark Christians as different to those outside the fellowship (John 13:35). Now He clarified that this love has no limitations. We should love one another even to the point of dying for one another. This is a tall order indeed!
There is a sense of poignancy here when we consider that John, the author of this book, would be the only disciple present to die of natural causes. According to church history and tradition, all the others in the room would give their lives for Jesus and the church. John remembered that Jesus loved His disciples to the end (John 13:1), but they would love Him to their ends too. There is no greater love than this.14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Again, Jesus circled back to the expression of our love for Him: doing His commands. When we accept that the Father has great love for us, we will love Him in return. We will express our love for Him by obedience, not rebellion or apathy (compare 1 John 4:19–21). As this love-and-obey pattern gains strength in our lives, we will find joy that comes from God. This puts us in a new category. We are Jesus’ friends, motivated out of love to do what God requires of us.
C. Chosen Messengers (vv. 15–17)
15. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.A servant ultimately obeys out of fear. A servant could be harshly punished with near impunity for the owner in the legal system of Jesus’ day. Servants were not confidantes of their masters. Their job was to obey without knowledge or comment.
Such blind obedience is not what Jesus expects. His disciples are not servants but friends. These are not acquaintances or business associates; a friend is one for whom a person feels deep affection and demonstrates loyalty. Few servants would ever be considered beloved friends of their masters. Jesus disclosed that friendship is the relationship He has been working toward throughout His three-year ministry with the disciples. Their knowledge has grown because of Jesus’ many revelations of the nature of the Father and of the plans He and the Father have for the future. The disciples are “insiders,” friends considered worthy of receiving all things Jesus has heard from His Father.
| What Do You Think? What would have to change, if anything, for you to be convinced that Jesus considers you a “friend” instead of a “servant”? Digging Deeper |
Jesus Is a True Friend
During my college years, a popular Christian song referred to God as a friend. A classmate protested anytime he heard it. He thought it was blasphemy to refer to God—the holy Creator of the universe—as a friend. He observed people falling in and out of relationship with God just as they did with their other friends. He saw Christians not honoring God with their actions, in the same way they disrespected their friends. He pushed the idea that people need to respect God as God and not treat Him as they treated their friends.
My colleague was partially right, but he missed what Jesus said. Jesus was willing to sacrifice His own life for His friends—friends who would not be as loyal and deeply invested. Jesus, God in the flesh, exemplified what a true friend is. If Christ was willing to lay down His life for the world, then we all owe Him our lives too.
—L. H.-P.
16. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Jesus also revealed that His relationship with His disciples was all part of His plan. To be ordained in this sense does not refer to a ceremony, but to having been chosen for a position of responsibility. They were Jesus’ friends-with-purpose, and that purpose is to produce fruit. This is to be fruit that will remain, a reference not to grapes but to new disciples, new friends-with-purpose. This is why they were chosen: Jesus’ multigenerational plan for expanding the number and maturity of His followers.
The disciples were reminded that God will give them resources in this work. After Jesus had gone, the Father would continue to be with them, giving what they asked for. These plans and promises are for us also, still the disciples of Jesus two millennia later. We are expected to bring forth fruit. The vine of Jesus continues to produce the fruit of new disciples and spiritual growth even today and will do so in the future.
17. These things I command you, that ye love one another.
Jesus ended this section by restating the great command. Within a few hours, the disciples would witness the greatest act of love in history: Jesus’ willing, sacrificial death for the sin of the world (John 19:16–30). There is no greater love.
There is no expiration date on this directive. It overrides all things that confront us in the Christian life. Jesus’ disciples will have disagreements. Conflicts will be inevitable. But there is never an excuse for not loving our brothers and sisters in the Lord (1 John 4:7–12).
Conclusion
A. Unselfish Love
Abiding, obeying, and loving—these are the central elements of discipleship. The love of Jesus exemplifies all of these. He abides with the Father in a relationship so intimate, it is beyond our understanding. He always obeys the Father. And His great love for the Father overflows to His chosen disciples.
In this we understand what biblical love is all about. It is conditioned by a lasting, faithful relationship and expressed by obedience. It is unselfish love, given without condition or expectation of return. In the Gospel of John, the last supper finds Jesus teaching about these things. The arrest, trials, and crucifixion find Him acting out these things. The resurrection shows the Father approving of these things for Jesus: His teachings and His actions. Thereby the disciples of Jesus have been motivated ever since to follow Him unselfishly with the purposes of being obedient disciples themselves and of producing new disciples in every generation.
B. Prayer
Father, may we show our love for You by obeying Your commands. Nurture us so we bear the fruit You want to see in our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
When we love, we obey.
KID’S CORNER
How To Avoid Deception and Darkness
Sunday November 8, 2020
John 12:37-43
12:37-43
(John 12:37) But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him.
Throughout John’s Gospel thus far, we have seen many people believing in Jesus and others refusing to believe. Most often, those refusing to believe in Jesus are the religious leaders who think they will have too much to lose to believe in Him. These unbelievers prefer their power, prestige, and position in this world to following Jesus no matter what He offers believers—even the gift of eternal life. In John 17:3, Jesus defined eternal life: “And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” In John 3, Jesus said that those who believe in Him are not judged, but those who do not believe in the name of the only Son of God are condemned. Then in John 3:19-20, Jesus summarized, “And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.” To better understand the next few verses, we need to remember that some people love falsehood more than they love the truth because their deeds are evil; therefore, they will not believe in or believe the truth.
Jesus’ signs were not magic tricks. Jesus performed unselfish, loving, wonderful works of God to bless others in ways that only God could do with a completely benevolent motivation. Jesus changed water into wine to bless a newly married couple. Jesus gave sight to a man born blind and led him to saving faith in Him. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead to bless his family and reveal himself as the Resurrection and the Life that people might trust in Him and receive the gift of eternal life. Jesus’ signs proved He is the One He said He is.
(John 12:38) 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?”
In this verse, John quoted Isaiah 53:1, which began Isaiah’s prophecy of the coming of the Suffering Servant Messiah in Isaiah 53:1-12. From the study of Isaiah 53, we see how Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy. Notice, for example, these words in Isaiah 53:3, “He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account.” The prophet Isaiah foretold the way unbelievers would treat Jesus, and both Isaiah and John have given good and sufficient reasons to believe Jesus and believe in Jesus. Then in Isaiah 53:5, we learn why the Father sent His Son to be treated in this horrific way by unbelievers: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.” The Old and New Testaments reveal God’s long-suffering and sacrificial love for us in Jesus, but still, many will not believe in Him.
In answer to the question, “Lord, who has believed our message?” We know many of the religious authorities did not believe the message of the Father and the Son that Jesus preached. Those who preferred living in darkness (doing evil) to living in light (doing truth) refused to believe in Jesus and His message. In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus preached, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
In answer to the question, “to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Jesus revealed the arm (the power) of the Lord to everyone through His compassionate signs and works of God. Still, those who preferred doing works of evil instead of works of divine love refused to believe in Him. Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of Isaiah and experienced some of what Isaiah himself experienced when he shared God’s message.
(John 12:39) For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again,
Why could they not believe? The answer is difficult, but not impossible, to explain. In Isaiah 6:8-13, Isaiah spoke about his call from the LORD to serve as His prophet and to warn the Jews to turn from their idolatry and turn back to the LORD. These verses also point to the coming of Jesus the Messiah who, like Isaiah, forewarned the unrepentant to turn to God or suffer destruction. Jesus offered the complete forgiveness of God to repentant sinners who believed in Him as the promised Messiah. In Isaiah 6:13, Isaiah prophesied about the coming of Jesus the Messiah as “the holy seed,” saying, “The holy seed is its stump.” He meant that after the Babylonians destroyed the Kingdom of Judah and carried many of the Jews away into exile, from “the stump of Judah” that remained God promised to send “the holy seed.” We learn from the Scriptures that “the holy seed” is God’s only Son, Jesus, who is of the tribe of Judah and the linage of King David. From the prophets foretelling His coming and from the preaching and the signs of Jesus, everyone who saw and heard Jesus had good reasons to believe that He was God’s promised Messiah, but John wrote that they did not and, indeed, they could not believe. Why?
As part of his prophecy about Jesus and how Jesus would be received, Isaiah experienced some of what Jesus would later experience. John said that many of those who heard Jesus preach and saw His signs could not believe in Him. To explain, John referred to Isaiah’s experience, because the LORD told Isaiah that many could not believe him. After many warnings, as a result of many of the Jews continual refusal to turn from their idols and wicked ways to trust in the LORD God and obey His Law as revealed in their Scriptures, as part of God’s punishment they could not believe and repent when their day of final destruction neared. Because they continually refused to turn to the LORD in repentance and faith in the LORD, the LORD finally sent the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem, burn the temple, and destroy those who had persisted in doing evil despite repeated warnings. Those who refused to heed the warnings of the LORD perished. The punishment of the Jews in Isaiah’s day and the punishment of the Jews in Jesus’ day serve as a warning to all who hear the good news of forgiveness for repentant believers in Jesus, but who prefer to do evil as they postpone turning from evil to serve the living God.
(John 12:40) “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 THEM.”
John quoted Isaiah to explain why unrepentant people cannot believe Isaiah or Jesus. As part of Isaiah’s call to be a prophet, in Isaiah 6:9-10, the LORD told Isaiah, “Go and say to this people: ‘Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking, but do not understand.’ Make the mind of this people dull, and stop their ears, and shut their eyes, so that they may not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and comprehend with their minds, and turn and be healed.’” God told Isaiah that he would preach, but most his hearers would not understand and repent because they could not. Because the LORD’s command seems so harsh and unreasonable, to better understand what the LORD, Isaiah, and John meant, we need to first look at Pharaoh, Moses, and the Exodus.
As the LORD foretold Moses, Pharaoh refused to believe Moses when the LORD sent Moses to free His people from slavery in Egypt. Sometimes God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and sometimes Pharaoh hardened his own heart. For examples, we read in Exodus 9:12, “But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.” And in Exodus 9:34, we read, “But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned once more and hardened his heart, he and his officials.” The Bible clearly teaches that we sin when we harden our hearts and refuse to do what God has revealed in the Scriptures and when we refuse to obey the moral law or the Ten Commandments (also known as the Law of Love). As Pharaoh’s father did before him, for many years Pharaoh had persisted in doing great evils. For example, his father had ordered the death of all the newborn baby boys wh0 were born to the Jews (even today, some murder unborn and newly born babies), but Moses survived. Eventually, because of Pharaoh’s persistence in doing evil deeds and to save His people, the LORD sent Moses to Pharaoh and punished Pharaoh by hardening his heart so he could not believe Moses. Because of his persistent sinning, Pharaoh’s punishment included God hardening Pharaoh’s heart so he could not repent. To “harden” can mean to “strengthen.” Pharaoh wanted to do evil because he loved doing evil. As in the days of Noah, “every inclination of the thoughts of [Pharaoh’s] heart was only evil continually” (see Genesis 6:5). When Pharaoh’s heart was not strong enough or hard enough to keep doing the evil he wanted to do when suffering God’s plagues upon Egypt, as punishment God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so Pharaoh kept doing what he selfishly wanted to do. Hardening his heart was part of God’ plan to punish Pharaoh for his continual unrepentant evil thoughts and deeds, to reveal His glory, and to free His people from slavery with a mighty hand. As the LORD told Moses in Exodus 3:19, “I know, however, that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand.” The LORD also hardened Pharaoh’s heart and multiplied His signs and wonders in the land of Egypt so the Egyptians would know that “I am the LORD” (see Exodus 7:1-6). Perhaps when the Egyptians saw the LORD defeat all their idols, including Pharaoh who had taught them that he was a god, some would repent of their evil deeds and believe in the LORD as the one true God.
John explained that God blinded the eyes and hardened the hearts of those who loved darkness and wanted to persist in their evil ways and not believe in Jesus. As punishment for their sins and their refusal to repent and turn to the LORD God through faith in His Son, God punished those who wanted to continue doing evil and not believe in Jesus by making it impossible for them to see with their eyes, understand with their hearts and turn to the Father and the Son that He might forgive them and spiritually heal them. As Paul later explained in Romans 1:21-22, “For though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools.” In John’s gospel, God warned that He would not forgive hardened unrepentant sinners after their time (or after their opportunity) to turn from their sins and believe in Jesus had come to an end. John explained Jesus’ teaching in John 12:35: “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going.” In Isaiah’s day and Jesus’ day, darkness had finally overtaken the unrepentant, so they could not believe and repent and be saved. The same has happened to many others for almost 2000 years.
(John 12:41) These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him.
Happily, John reported that before the Father sent the Word in flesh into the world as Jesus, who came as the promised Messiah, that Isaiah saw His glory, the glory of the Son of God. Students of the Bible sometimes call this a preincarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. Among other truths, the preincarnate Son of God revealed to Isaiah that He would come as a Suffering Servant Messiah. In a similar way, King David saw the glory of the Lord Jesus before He came into the world as the Word made flesh. For this reason, the Pharisees could not answer Jesus’ question and explain what David meant when he wrote in Psalms 110:1, “The LORD says to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool’” (see Matthew 22:41-46). David and Isaiah saw the Lord Jesus in His glory before He was born, and Jesus would soon return to that former glory after He ascended into heaven; however, He would return even more glorified as fully human and fully God and be seated at the right hand of the Father. The Book of Isaiah pointed to the coming of Jesus Christ, the response He would receive from believers and unbelievers, and why He would receive these different responses of belief and unbelief.
(John 12:42) 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;
Though everyone has sinned, John made clear that not all the religious authorities were evil, some honestly tried to serve God. Those who were not evil were open to repenting and being born again when they learned the truth about God and Jesus. Nicodemus showed he was not evil when he went to see Jesus at night (as described in John 3:1-21). Like Nicodemus, some of the religious teachers and authorities tried to love and obey the LORD God, but they were ignorant. Jesus explained in John 3:21, “But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” Nicodemus knew that Jesus was a teacher sent from God, so he went to Jesus (to the light) to learn from Him. As a teacher of Israel, Nicodemus had committed himself to teaching the truth up to the level of his understanding and he wanted to understand more about God and Jesus, so he went to see Jesus. He was one of “those who do what is true;” therefore, he came to the Light, to Jesus who is the Truth. Nicodemus was one who wanted to live in such way that it might be clearly seen that his deeds had been done in God, so Nicodemus was one of the authorities who believed in Jesus. John does not tell us, but prior to Jesus’ crucifixion, Nicodemus may have been one of those who did not confess Jesus publicly because of the Pharisees, for fear that he would be put out of the synagogue and forbidden to teach. He knew the Pharisees had expelled the man born blind that Jesus healed because he confessed Jesus. Because many of the Pharisees loved darkness, they did not want anyone to go to the Light.
(John 12:43) for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.
In John 12:26, Jesus promised, “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.” Here, John explained why some believed in Jesus, but refused to acknowledge their belief because they might be expelled from the synagogue, which meant they would lose their power, privilege, and position. Many of these authorities knew they might suffer financially and in other ways if they publicly acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah. What do people love and seek more: honor and glory from humans or honor and glory from God? Jesus did not mean that believers in Him should needlessly throw their lives away by throwing their pearls (their beliefs and their reasons for their beliefs in Jesus) before swine and dogs. In Matthew 7:6, Jesus warned, “Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.” Jesus was no coward, but for good reasons Jesus sometimes quietly hid from His enemies. In John 12:36, Jesus told a crowd the truth, saying “While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.” Then, John reported, “After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.” The real question for every Christian is: “Am I hiding my faith in Jesus and keeping quiet because I prefer the approval, honor, and praise that others can give me more than the approval, honor, and praise that God can give me for believing in and telling others about Jesus—the Lord and Savior of the world.”
How To Avoid Deception and Darkness
Sunday November 8, 2020
John 12:37-43
Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God (John 12:42-43—KJV).
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; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God (John 12:42-43—NASB).
Nevertheless many, even of the authorities, believed in Jesus. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from God (John 12:42-43—NRSV).
Most of the elite in Judea did not believe in Jesus as the Messiah or a prophet. They loved the power, prestige, and position this world offers too much to risk all they valued to follow a poor Galilean carpenter turned preacher and kingdom-wide sensation because of His many signs. The people followed Jesus gladly and openly because of His loving and powerful works that only God would and could do. The elite ignored them, but they knew God loved them. Jesus showed divine compassion to the blind, the lame, and the
bereaved that He healed and raised from the dead. Jesus went
from town to town to teach the truth about God and the Scriptures to any who had ears to hear, whereas many of the elite thought thinking about the disadvantaged was not worth their time. Still, John reported that some of the elite did believe in Jesus. They knew Jesus was worthy to be followed as one sent from God. However, John also said that some of these elite believers would not confess their faith in Jesus and openly follow Jesus because they did not want to suffer separation from their friends and fellow rulers in the synagogue. They
loved to seek the success this world offers to those who conform to the values held by those of this world, so they refused to seek honor from God and the gift of eternal life that Jesus offers to all who truly believe in Him.
Thinking Further
How To Avoid Deception and Darkness
Sunday November 8, 2020
John 12:37-43
Name __________________________________
- What should have convinced those who saw Jesus to believe in Him?
- What questions did Isaiah ask? How were these questions answered?
- Why were some people unable to believe in Jesus?
- Why do you think the Lord did this to these people?
- Why did some who believed in Jesus prefer not to confess it?
Do some still have this problem today?
Discussion and Thinking Further
- What should have convinced those who saw Jesus to believe in
Him? The loving and wonderful signs that Jesus perform that always blessed someone and were totally unselfish should have convinced those who saw Jesus to believe in Him.
- What questions did Isaiah ask? How were these questions
answered? 1. “Lord, who has believed our message?” Many of the religious authorities did not believe the message of the Father and the Son that Jesus preached. Those who preferred darkness (doing evil) to light (doing the truth) did not believe in Jesus (or the disciples). 2. “To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Jesus revealed the arm (or power) of the Lord to everyone when He performed His signs of divine love.
- Why were some people unable to believe in Jesus? The Lord hardened their hearts and kept them from understanding.
- Why do you think the Lord did this to these people? The Lord did this as punishment for those who stubbornly refused to repent of their sins after repeated warnings and signs from those God sent to them; such as the prophets (John the Baptist as an example) and finally
His only Son (Jesus Christ). These unrepentant people preferred to stay in the darkness because their deeds were evil.
- Why did some who believed in Jesus prefer not to confess it?
Do some still have this problem today? They did not want to be expelled from the synagogue. They preferred human praise and honors to praise and honor that comes from God and lasts forever. Yes.
Word Search
How To Avoid Deception and Darkness
Sunday November 8, 2020
John 12:37-43
Name __________________________________
M P E R F O R M E D U R H N D
S F W N Y N K B O N S Q L J E
E N D A R Q A J D B O Y D I N
G P G U E C N E S E R P E Q E
A V T I Z U R I J Y B S V M D
S Y O V S S M E A F W G E O R
S Z S A T W S L V U Y K I C A
E I N O Y U Y G W L O C L O H
M A O Z S B W R P F P Q E N P
C D H A I A S I O I G S B F S
H X Z Q V M O X B L I N D E D
T E H P O R P Y V L G Y O S O
W V A G Z L A W Z E K H D S Y
F Z I R I G H T B F N J I Z I
U D L Q T R X R W C G O Q A T
Performed
Signs
Presence
Fulfill
Prophet
Isaiah
Believed
Message
Blinded
Hardened
Heart
Understood
Turn
Glory
Confess
True and False Test
How To Avoid Deception and Darkness
Sunday November 8, 2020
John 12:37-43
Name ________________________________
Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.
- John performed so many signs that prior to Jesus’ crucifixion, everyone believed in Him. True or False
- Jesus fulfilled the word of God spoken by Isaiah the prophet and many other prophets in the Old Testament. True or False
- Not everyone who heard Isaiah believed his message, but everyone who heard Jesus’ message believed Him. True or False
- Through many compassionate signs, Jesus Christ revealed the power of God. True or False
- God told Isaiah that some of his listeners could not believe him. The
Gospel of John says that some of Jesus’ listeners could not believe Jesus either. True or False
- Because God is unjust, He hardened the hearts of some people so they could not believe the messages of Isaiah or Jesus. True or False
- God hardened the hearts of some people as just punishment for their continual refusal to turn from their immoral practices and their love of living in darkness to do evil. True or False
- Isaiah saw the Son of God in His glory before He came into the world as the Word made flesh in Jesus. True or False
- Everyone who believed in Jesus confessed their belief even if it meant they had to sacrifice something. True or False
- Some people love human approval, praise, and glory more than they love the approval, praise, and glory that comes from God. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
Prayer
Father, may we show our love for You by obeying Your commands. Nurture us so we bear the fruit You want to see in our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.