The Time is Near

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: John 12:20-36

 

John 12:23

But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.

(NKJV)

 

In His Olivet discourse, Jesus spoke of wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places (Matthew 24:3-14). From our perspective today, it would appear Jesus was reading the headlines of the news. However, what this really means is that the time of Jesus’ return is near. For believers, this should create a sense of urgency to wrap up the mission of the Church to make disciples, but how well is the Church doing in wrapping up its mission?

 

A group of Greeks has come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover and ask Philip if they could see Jesus (John 12:20-21). Philip tells Andrew, who goes with Philip to tell Jesus (John 12:22). Jesus answers Philip and Andrew by telling them the hour has come for Him to be glorified (John 12:23), Jesus then uses the illustration of a grain of wheat falling into the ground and dying so it can produce much grain (John 12:24). Jesus then teaches that one loving his life in this world will lose it with one hating his life in this world keeping it for eternal life (John 12:25). One choosing to serve the Lord must follow Him and will be found where He is, receiving honor from the Father (John 12:26).

 

Jesus’ soul is troubled and he could ask the Father to rescue Him from this hour, but Jesus also understands this is the reason the Father sent Him (John 12:27). Jesus then asks the Father to glorify His name, with a voice from heaven declaring, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again (John 12:28). Some around Jesus who heard the voice said it thundered with others saying an Angel had spoken to Jesus (John 12:29). Jesus clarifies what has occurred by telling them the voice was not for His benefit but theirs, letting them know judgment of the world has come with the ruler of this world being cast out (John 12:30-31). Jesus then signifies the type of death He will experience by saying, “I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” (John 12:32-33),

 

Those listening to Jesus have some confusion because they have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever with Jesus saying the Son of Man must be lifted up in crucifixion. They then ask who the Son of Man is (John 12:34). Jesus then tells them the light will be with the for a little longer and to walk in the light so they do not walk in darkness and without knowing where they are going (John 12:35). Jesus then tells them to believe in the light while they have the light so they can become sons of light. After saying these things, Jesus departed and was hidden from them (John 12:36).

 

It is uncertain whether the group of Greeks came to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover or to see Jesus, presuming He would be there. Jesus’ first words to these Greeks were that the time had come for the Son of Man to be glorified, but using the illustration of a grain of wheat lets them know the type of glorification he refers to. It is not a celebration of life but death, so that the grain of wheat becomes fruitful (John 12:23-24). Many would soon turn on Jesus because they believed He would come in and take the throne, booting out their Roman oppressors. Instead, Jesus would go to the Temple and boot out the money changers (John 2:14-15; Mark 11:15; Matthew 21:12). The cleansing needed was not a cleansing of corrupt and oppressive government but the cleansing of sin in the hearts of sinful men (John 3:17). The time of Jesus death is near, an event that will make a pathway for redemption of sin from people’s hearts, but it is a pathway one must choose to take. Jesus is the source of light from God that was still with them but would soon depart.

 

We have the benefit of knowing the full story that Jesus, the grain of wheat, died and was buried, with those who choose to believe in Jesus as their Savior, the grain produced. Jesus, the source of light ascended to be with the Father (Acts 1:9-10; Mark 16:19). However, those believing in Jesus as Savior are not powerless but have power through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). Jesus gave the Church a mission, to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth and to make disciples (Acts 1:9; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20). The evangelical outreach of the Church has been successful, with the Gospel message going out to most of the world. However, discipleship is more than evangelism and requires equipping believers with knowledge of God’s Word, empowering them in the Spirit to use their gifts and talents to glorify God, and to encourage them through struggles that will come (John 16:33). The root of the word disciple is discipline which requires the regular practice of the spiritual disciplines of prayer, study of God’s Word, fasting, and regular fellowship with each other. Disciplined believers regularly practicing these disciplines will become fully devoted disciples of Christ and become instruments of revival that bring Christ to a lost world. These fully devoted disciples will be the salt and light Jesus spoke of in Matthew 5:13-16. I encourage everyone reading this to join me in becoming fully devoted disciples of Christ, the salt and light a fallen world needs, because the time of the return of Christ draws near.

 

If you are reading this and need to take the first step of becoming a disciple of Christ by making Him your savior, please pray with me now.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

I invite you to let someone know of your decision, especially anyone who has been praying for you, or to comment on this post about your decision. I also encourage you to become involved in a Church that teaches the Bible and following through with baptism so you can become a fully devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. May God challenge and bless everyone reading this post.