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good morning everyone welcome to the house of the Lord for the Lord's worship on this the Lord's day just briefly the announcements there's our usual five o'clock service this evening and no Bible study again on Wednesday night for the duration of August that will resume sometime in September for our call to worship this morning please turn to Psalm 33. psalm 33. we will read from verse 1 through verse 9. rejoice in the Lord O you righteous for praise from the upright is beautiful praise the Lord with the harp make Melody to him with an instrument of ten strings sing to him a new song play skillfully with a shout of joy for the word of the Lord is right and all his work is done in truth he loves righteousness and Justice the Earth is full of the goodness of the Lord by the word of the Lord the heavens were made and all the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth he gathers the Waters of the sea together as a heap he lays up the deep in storehouses let all the Earth fear the lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him for he spoke and it was done he commanded and it stood fast amen for our first hymn we'll stand together and sing 213 in your Hymnal hymn 213. foreign [Music] come on foreign [Music] thank you foreign [Music] gracious Heavenly Father we thank you for your kindness and your mercy in bringing us together this day thank you that we can worship you as a people thank you for the work that Christ has done on our behalf the fact that he lived a perfect life and went to the cross to bear our punishment the punishment for our sins though he himself was without spot and without sin thank you for what he has done in redeeming us thank you for placing Us in the in the family of God The Universal Church from all ages from every location on the Earth from every tongue and people group thank you that we join with our forefathers with Noah with Abraham Isaac Jacob the prophets who all experienced as well that saving power of Christ in their day we thank you as well that you have placed us in a local church and that you have given this gift to us for our own edification for our maturation in the faith for accountability and Lord we pray that you would be gracious to us here today at free Grace Baptist Church we pray that you would Minister to the needs of your flock that you would feed your sheep we prayed Lord that you would comfort those who are in need of comfort and encouragement and chastisement Lord wherever we have that need I pray that the Holy Spirit would be at work in our lives this day we pray o God that you would do that work in churches all across this city where the gospel is preached thank you that there are many other local expressions of the body of Christ thank you that there are churches all across this nation that today are worshiping and we pray God your blessing would rest upon them we pray for our sister churches the church plant in Surrey and in Armstrong and in Dryden bless those Brethren as they gather this day as well we pray that you would encourage them and that you would do them good we pray Lord that you would bring more people amongst them to hear the gospel we pray o God that many would be saved and added to the church and we pray Lord that you would continue to build your church and cause new congregations to be founded throughout this country and throughout the world Lord we pray for our Brethren that are being persecuted in many places across the globe we pray that you would strengthen and encourage your Saints and give them the patience and the power to persevere in the face of opposition Lord we pray that you would bring down evil powers that are opposing and hindering your church we thank you oh God that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord through the glory of God the Father thank you for the work that you're doing and we pray oh God that you would continue to bless the church and cause her to be salt and light in this world we pray O Lord for the magistrate in our country we pray o God that you would be merciful to us and give us peace and allow the church to thrive and Lord we pray that those men that are opposed to the truth and that are busy finding ways to um change the laws of our land and to cause the the truth to be twisted we pray Lord that you would restrain them and we pray oh God that you would even replace some with Godly men and yet we do not seek for salvation in political sphere we know Lord that the the culture of this nation will only be regenerated as the gospel Goes Forth and as the truth is preached and men's souls are changed and we pray that you would do that wondrous work as you have done throughout the ages Lord we pray for our meeting here today that you would continue with us as we worship do us good do do good to those who are not able to be with us this day pray you would encourage those who are at home and perhaps suffering or detained by one Providence or another we pray that you would encourage them oh God and do them good as well we ask these things in Jesus name amen for our next hymn we'll turn to 470 in the hymnal 470 stand with me again as we sing [Music] thank you [Music] things foreign [Music] understand [Music] foreign [Music] may be seated for our morning scripture reading last week we were in Matthew Chapter 5 and ended off with verse 20. so we will continue Matthew Chapter 5 beginning in verse 21 to the end of the chapter Matthew 5 21 you have heard that it was said to those of old you shall not murder and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment but I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment and whoever says to his brother raka shall be in danger of the council but whoever says you fool shall be in danger of Hellfire therefore if you bring your gift to The Altar and there remember that your brother has something against you leave your gift there before the Altar and go your way first be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your gift agree with your adversary quickly while you are on the way with him lest your adversary deliver you to the judge the judge hand you over to the officer and you'll be thrown into prison assuredly I say to you you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny you have heard that it was said to those of old you shall not commit adultery but I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to Lust For Her has already committed adultery with her in his heart if your right eye causes you to sin pluck it out and cast it from you for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell and if your right hand causes you to sin cut it off and cast it from you for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish then for your whole body to be cast into hell furthermore it has been said whoever divorces his wife let him give her a certificate of divorce but I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery again you have heard that it was said to those of old you shall not swear falsely but shall perform your Oaths to the Lord but I say to you do not swear at all neither by heaven for it is God's Throne nor by the Earth for it is his footstool nor by Jerusalem for it is the city of the great king nor shall you swear by your head because you cannot make one hair white or black but let your yes be yes and your no no for whatever is more than these is from the evil one you have heard that it was said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but I tell you not to resist an evil person but whoever slaps you on your right cheek turn the other to him also if anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic let him have your cloak also and whoever compels you to go one mile go with him too give to him who asks you and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away you have heard that it was said You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy but I say to you love your enemies bless those who curse you do good to those who hate you and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you that you you may be sons of your father in Heaven for he makes his son rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust for if you love those who love you what reward have you do not even the tax collectors do the same and if you greet your brethren only what you do more than others do not even the tax collectors do so therefore you shall be perfect just as your father in Heaven is perfect amen let us pray Father in heaven we thank you that you have set this standard so high that it is impossible for man to reach this because we are born in sin and we go forth from the womb speaking lies and we require a righteousness righteousness that is outside of ourselves and we thank you that Christ has provided this for us so that we may appear before your throne and be perfect in your sight we pray Lord that you would continue with us in worship we ask this in Jesus name amen and for our last hymn we're going to sing Psalm 11 be as in bravo from the psalter psalm 11 b stand with me again as we sing foreign [Music] foreign [Music] us tonight [Music] well you can turn with me in your Bibles to the Book of John we're working our way through the Gospel of John and we are in chapter 12. two weeks ago we looked at the triumphal entry when our lord Jesus comes into the city of Jerusalem in that passion week so I want to pick up the reading in verse 17 after the triumphal entry and then our Focus this morning will be on verses 20 to 26. so beginning in chapter 12 at verse 17. therefore the people who were with him when he called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness for this reason the people also met him because they heard that he had done this sign the Pharisees therefore set among themselves you see that you are accomplishing nothing look the world has gone after him now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast then they came to Philip who was from bethsaida of Galilee and asked him saying sir we wish to see Jesus Philip came and told Andrew and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus but Jesus answered them saying the hour has come that the son of man should be glorified most assuredly I say to you unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains alone but if it dies it produces much grain he who loves his life will lose it and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life if anyone serves me let him follow me and where I am there my servant will be also if anyone serves me him him my father will honor amen well let us pray our great and blessed God we thank you for this beautiful day the heavens do declare your majesty and your righteousness and your glory we see the Perfections of God revealed in the created order we look at the creature and it leads us up to consider the God who made all things as well we acknowledge your Sovereign Providence that you are in heaven and that you govern all your creatures and all their actions according to your perfect and holy will and on these Lord's days when we come to consider the gospel of our Salvation we reflect upon that Grace and that mercy and that wisdom displayed in that gospel we thank you for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you for his life of perfect obedience his death is a sacrifice and substitute on the cross and his resurrection that third day as well we praise you for his current session now at the right hand of the father and we look forward to his return again in glory to judge the living and the dead and may it be the case that all of us would be prepared for that day that all of us would be clean in his Precious Blood and clothed with his righteousness we ask that the Holy Spirit would guide us now as we consider this passage of scripture that we would see the glory of the son of man as it's revealed in the Bible and we asked you would forgive us for all sin and everything that darkens our understanding and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well as we have been considering the public Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ we notice that the Book of John is outlined in three sections first the prologue in chapter 1 verses 1 to 18 and then the book of signs the public Ministry of Christ beginning in chapter one at verse 19 and continuing here through chapter 12 to verse 50. and then the book of The Passion beginning in Chapter 13 Verse 1 and continuing to the end of chapter 20 and then there's an epilogue in chapter 21. so that's the sort of over arching outline of the Gospel of John chapters 11 and 12 are Transit are are a transition and we see the emphasis upon the cross already in this particular satchet so the title of this morning's message is the arrival of the hour in verses 20 to 26 and there's two things that I want to observe here in this small section first the desire of the Greeks in verses 20 to 22 and then secondly the glorification nation of the son of man in verses 23 to 26. let's look first at the desire of the Greeks in verses 28 to 22 and look at verse 20 to verse 20. now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast we know that the setting is Jerusalem Jesus triumphally enters the city of Jerusalem where he'll ultimately be delivered up to these Godless men the Sanhedrin he will then be turned over to Pontius Pilate who will then sentence him to death and so he's in Jerusalem for that particular occasion the son of man came to give his life as a ransom for many so that's the particular location but as well we know that it's during the Passover and that's what verse 20 indicates now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast if you look back at chapter 11 and verse 55 it says and the Passover of the Jews was near and then again in chapter 12 at verse 1 then six days before the Passover over so these greats were in Jerusalem at the time of the Passover and I think that's significant it's significant in the immediate context because this is precisely the grumbling and the whining and the complaining of the Pharisees back in verse 19 but it's also uh what we find throughout scripture so notice in verse 19 the Pharisees therefore said among themselves you see that you are accomplishing nothing or you see that you are accomplishing nothing look the world has gone after him and on the heels of that John tells us that there are greats in the city of Jerusalem at the time of the Passover feast and they want to see Jesus so the very fear that these Pharisees had and the Very expression of their grumbling Hearts is actually the truth and that's the blessing of the Christian gospel God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son not simply to save the Lost tribes of Jacob but to be a light under to the Gentiles this was prophesied in the Old Testament to the Patriarchs we see it throughout the Psalms and we certainly see it in the prophets Gentile inclusion in the Covenant Promises of God most high in other words Israel's Messiah will mediate the blessing of God to the entire Earth he's not just coming to one small people group but he is coming so that men from every tribe every tongue every people and every nation can come to Salvation in other words he's not simply a savior for the Israelites he is a savior for Gentiles he is not simply a savior for white people he's a savior for black people he's not simply a savior for one particular Niche group but he is the one in whom the blessings of God reside and so when we consider the Psalms when we consider the prophets when we consider the testimony the Old Testament it is perfectly appropriate and fitting that these greats would be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost or at the Feast of Pentecost and that the desire of their hearts would be to see Jesus to see the Messiah and I think Solomon sort of captures this this mindset and the dedication of the temple First Kings chapter 6 Solomon starts out to build the temple we see by the time of the uh end of chapters uh seven we see it completed and then in chapter 8 Solomon dedicates that Temple he prays to God most high he acknowledges the Transcendence of God he acknowledges the limitations of this Earthly Temple he knows that God can't be contained in the temple the pagans thought that Dagon actually lived in dagon's Temple the god of Heaven and Earth is transcendent he's above us he is he's enthroned on high heaven is his throne and Earth Is His footstool so the temple is the visible representation of God's presence with his people but it does not confine him or constrain him but in that dedication of the temple listen to Solomon in terms of the Nations around Israel he says in chapter 8 at verses 41 to 43 he says moreover concerning a foreigner who is not of your People Israel but has come from a far country for your name's sake for they will hear of your great name and your strong hand and your outstretched arm when he comes and prays toward this Temple here in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which The Foreigner calls to you that all peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you as do your People Israel and that they may know that this Temple which I have built is called by your name it was always God's plan and purpose it was always God's intention it was always God's means to save his people from their sins wherever they might find themselves whether they're in Canada whether they're in America whether they're in Africa whether they're in Asia the nations of the Earth are blessed in and through our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob so when God tells uh uh uh Abraham in Genesis 13 to look nor to look South to look East and look West and he says you're going to inherit all this it's not predicated on the faithfulness and the glory and the righteousness of Abraham but it's the Seed of Abraham in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed and even preceding Abraham the Oracle to Noah it spoke concerning japheth Gentiles finding refuge in the tents of sham so God's purpose in Christ Jesus our lord is to save his people from their sins no matter where they find themselves and so this is the comprehensive nature of God's glorious Gospel of Salvation in terms of the historical precedent it's not just here that we see Greeks at the time of the feast coming to Jerusalem the book of Acts is scattered with that all throughout the Book of Acts Acts chapter 2 all the nations of the Earth are gathered together in the day on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem why do you think that is so that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can go to all those Nations Gentiles brought night through the blood of Jesus Christ Acts chapter 10 the household of Cornelius how about the Ethiopian eunuch that Philip comes to in Acts chapter 8. what is the Bible telling us the Bible is telling us that the promises of God are mediated to the entirety of the world through Christ the Lord he's not only the Savior for the Lost tribes of Jacob but he is the light of the Gentiles and that is what we find in this particular passage it is consistent with John's emphasis throughout his gospel John 3 16 God so loved the world remember last week Chris Santiago preached from John 4 what did the Samaritans learn when they come into saving contact with our Lord Jesus Christ according to John 4 42. they learn that Jesus is in fact the savior of the world and we see that same emphasis applicated here in chapter 12. in fact in chapter 11 countifest prophesies the death of Jesus for the benefit not just of that Nation but for other nations as well Jesus in John 10 says I have other sheep which are not of this full that I must go call and collect well how does he do that through the proclamation of the Gospel through the apostles and then since then and subsequent to them through the church proclaiming the glories of Jesus Christ as the one in whom alone there is salvation one man wrote the fact that these Gentiles came to the temple out of devotion prefigured the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith now notice their desire according to verses 21 and 22 then they came to Philip who was from bethsaida of Galilee John's already told us that in John 1 44. we also know that Andrew came from bethsaida in Galilee as well Andrew of course was the brother of Simon Peter one of the sort of Chief Apostles of amongst them but notice here in verse 21 then they came to Philip who was from bethsaida of Galilee you got significant what's with bethsaida of Galilee well bethsaida of Galilee is pretty much Gentile country again Chris did some of my work last week he explained on second Kings chapter 17 we see the fall of the northern kingdom and that was as a result of Assyria and Assyria had an interesting method of Conquest they would take other peoples and put them in other places and they would do that to destabilize populations they would put sea peoples in the mountains they would put mountain people near the sea why because they didn't have the wherewithal to survive well in an environment like that so when they are planted in Assyria According to second Kings chapter 17 God sends Lions upon them to kill them why because they were wretched filthy idolaters I've always thought that if you ever answer your door and there's a lion standing there God's got an ax to grind with you and that is precisely what you see there in Second Kings 17. so what do the people do the people say we need help we need help not to learn how to glorify and honor God but how to do enough to keep the lions at Bay so they find a priest an old school priest but he's in Bethel which is an indicator for anybody who's right up to that point that bethel's not the best place to hail from in terms of being a priest so that priest gives them some counsel and what they do is they marry their gods to Yahweh of Israel that's not the way you're supposed to operate anyways that region Samaria is gentileville and so that they contact Philip and then Andrew makes sense they probably had some sort of familiarity with these particular men and then notice the particular action that they pursue verse 21 they come to Philip who is from bethsaida of Galilee and asked him saying sir we wish to see Jesus I think I've shared with you before many of Puritan Pulpit had this placard on their Pulpit sir we wish to see Jesus sir we want to see Jesus that's what preachers should always be mindful of you're not here to see me you're not here to see whatever's going on in the world you're here to see Jesus by faith and that's the desire of these Gentile hearts and intriguingly look at the contrast notice that the Pharisees are upset about this the Pharisees want to destroy him the Pharisees want to murder him the Pharisees are counting the days until they can put him on the cross and and cry out away with him away with him crucify him look at the contrast the Sanhedrin the religious leadership in Israel is wanting to murder Jesus and yet the Greeks are here wanting to see him wanting to learn about him and see I think connotes that it has the idea of interview they want to understand something about him why is that because the knowledge of his Works was spreading vis-a-vis the resurrection of Lazarus in Chapel 11. wouldn't you want to see the man was able to say to a dead body come forth I would I'd be intrigued I would be curious about that but it wasn't just the knowledge of his works that was spreading around it was the knowledge of his word his teaching his Doctrine what do they say at the end of The Sermon on the Mount Jesus is not like the scribes but rather he teaches with authority and I think it's the authority invested in him by virtue of the fact that the very word that he's teaching is his word when Jesus teaches it's not according to this Rabbi it's not according to that Rabbi when Jesus makes that statement that our brother read you've heard that it was said to those of old but I say to you he's not saying Moses bad knee good he's saying that the rabbinic tradition the Pharisees and the scribes that botched up interpreting Moses he's he's contrasting him with that Moses was right on and Jesus is his true expounder so Christ spoke as one with authority so of course first these Greeks desired to see him but it wasn't just his works it wasn't just his word but it was also his identity see at this point people are asking is this the Messiah people are curious is this the one promised in the Old Testament is this the one that Moses wrote of is this the one that Isaiah prophesied is this the one that David sung of in the psalter is this the Christ so of course the Greeks are desirous of course of course the Greeks want to learn of course the Greeks want this interview with our blessed savior now notice secondly then the glorification of the son of man so verse 22 Philip came and told Andrew and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus that brings us to the glorification of the son of man in verses 23 to 26. two things I want to do here first the Declaration of the hour verse 23 and then the implications of that hour in verses 24 to 26. I'm going to explain what the hour is so if you miss that anywhere along the past uh Exposition I'll Define that for you but the Declaration concerning the hour in verse 23 and then the implications concerning the hour in verses 24 to 26 as I've said this in uh triumphal entry into Jerusalem is with a specified purpose he is going to carry out all that the father had given him to do his life of active obedience is coming to an end and now he comes to the passive obedience when I say passive that does not mean he was wholly uninvolved in his death he lays down his life for the Sheep but in theology we make a distinction between what Christ did in terms of his positive obedience his active obedience to every law that God had specified in other words you're not supposed to commit adultery as we just heard in the reading you're not supposed to commit murder as we heard in the reading you're not supposed to engage in blasphemy or idolatry you're not supposed to be a Sabbath breaker you're not supposed to be a lying Thief you're not supposed to be a Covetous wretch Jesus obeyed all that and Jesus obeyed all that by virtue of his uniqueness but he obeyed all that by virtue of the fact that he is a public person he's our representative we oftentimes focus on the cross and well we should and the benefits that accrue we need his death as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world but we need is life to provide us with a righteousness by which will be accepted by God that's what the gospel brings if you're not a saved person here this morning listen to what Jesus says with Jesus you get not only forgiveness which if that's all it was praise God Almighty but you get his righteousness imputed to you and received by faith alone so of course we focus on the cross of course we celebrate the cross of course we concentrate on that fountain that is open for sin and uncleanness but by that we don't neglect or negate the fact that Jesus obeyed perfectly why because we don't because we can't as our brother pointed out in Adam all die when Paul comes to deal with the Ephesians to celebrate the riches of God's grace in Ephesians 2 1-3 he rehearses what we were he says you being dead in your trespasses and sins how do we get from the state of deadness and trespasses and sense to acceptance with God most high well it's by virtue of the work of Jesus Christ in his death but as well in his life so when we believe on him we're not only forgiven of our sins but we're clothed in a righteousness by which we can enter in to the presence of God most high so that act of obedience by and large is complete and now he's moving into the past of obedience again passive does not mean he's not involved but it's probably related to the word passion it has to do with his penal sufferings on the cross for All Those whom the father had given him and so when we look at this language and the Declaration concerning the hour notice what he says in verse 23 he doesn't answer the question specific or directly rather when Andrew and Philip say you know Jesus the the the Greeks want to see him he doesn't say well you know just send them over here and I'll give them give him an interview tell him to bring their iPhone and hit the you know record dial and I'll you know I'll enter into a series of questions he doesn't answer them that way don't raise his hand and you know gesture over to the Greeks and say you know here I am but he answers their question theologically what do you think the Greeks want to interview him about you know what's your view on on on Caesar what's your view on Pontius Pilate what's your view on the the economic crisis that we're facing here in the first century what's your view the larger sort of macrocasm they want to know are you the Messiah are you the Christ are you the one we're waiting for are you the one that Moses and Isaiah and Jeremiah and Zechariah spoke of are are you the one that that is going to come and save us from our sins so he doesn't answer them directly here am I but he answers them theologically by pointing forward to the hour and he says that that hour has arrived notice in verse 23 but Jesus answered them saying the hour has come that the son of man should be glorified turn back to John 2. John Chapter 2 just a bit of this emphasis on the hour John chapter 2. Jesus has referred to the hour but up until this point in John 12 it's always been future so it's something coming it's always something on the horizon it's an eventuality it's a certainty but it hasn't yet come the scene shifts here in John 12. the hour has come but notice in John 2 specifically at verse 4. this is when Mary asks him to deal with the wine problem verse 4 Jesus said to her woman what does your concern have to do with me my my hour has not yet come John 7 John 7 similar emphasis John 7 specifically at verse 30. therefore they sought to take him but no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not yet come John 8 specifically in verse 20. similar emphasis these words Jesus spoke in the treasuries he taught in the temple and no one laid hands on him for his hour had not yet come so in light of these two passages what ought we to conclude the hour had come they're going to lay hands on him the hour had come and they're going to take you the hour had come and they're going to deliver him up the hour had come and they're going to crucify him because they're Godless vile bloodthirsty ratchets this is what John is preparing us for in these previous chapters we get to John 12 23 makes that declaration drop down to John 12 27 now my soul is trouble and what shall I say father save me from this hour but for this purpose I came to this hour notice in 13 1 The Upper Room discourse now before the Feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that his hour had come that he should depart from this world to the father having loved his owner or in the world he loved them to the end notice in John 16 specifically at verse 32 similar emphasis indeed the hour is coming yes has now come that you will be scattered each to his own and will leave me alone and yet I am not alone because the father is with me isn't that exactly what happens at the cross it's not exactly what happens the disciples forsake Him they bail well when Jesus is hung upon the cross they're not there Brethren it's the faithful women that attend to him at that particular time and then notice the high Priestly prayer in John 17 1. Jesus spoke these words lifted up his eyes to heaven and said father the hour has come glorify your son that your son Also may glorify you so back to John 12 it's not an eventuality or a certainty that's in the distant future but it's come passion week has started first day Monday he's triumphantly entered into the city several events will occur in that week it will culminate on the Friday when he is delivered up by these Godless men at the behest or rather at the the agreement of Pontius Pilate that Wicked coward that that capitulated to an angry mob that that's what's going to happen and of course he dies he's raised again on the third day so he speaks of the hour having come now notice the language that he employs here in verse 23. the hour has come that the son of man should be glorified it's one of the favorite titles of Jesus for Jesus up in our Sunday school room there's a beautiful banner that Mrs Don Mars had made when we had Sunday school for the children by the way we don't have Sunday school because we hate kids it's hard to find sort of volunteers that will do that and commit to that so if anybody's ever interested in in doing Sunday school let me know but she made this beautiful banner with all of the titles of God most high that we find in the scripture I think we all have sort of our favorite ways that we address God we we call him father or we call him Holy Father or we call him God or you know we we refer to Jesus you know the Lamb of God it takes away the sin of the world we refer to him as Savior we refer to him as king and Lord and all those things well Jesus refers to himself as son of man the person say well that's to make sure that we understand that he was truly mad well he is truly man we know that John 1 14 the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth I think the Lord Jesus Takes that title son of man with its Old Testament meaning in its Old Testament meaning is Daniel 7 13 and 14. and it points to his divinity it points to his glory it points to his majesty it points to the fact that he will be exalted at the right hand of the Ancient of Days and he'll always live to make intercession for his people and he will come in glory to judge the living and the dead he uses that title here specifically with reference to the hour if on the one hand you consider the hour as the biggest crime ever perpetrated against an innocent man you're you're right what does Jesus ever do in any of the Gospel records that would earn him the death penalty it was a travesty of Justice you think you've been framed you think you've been misrepresented you think you've been judged harshly Jesus was wholly harmless and undefiled and he was crucified on a cross but at the same time well how do Christians refer to that cross the place of Glory yes shame and ignominy and the the curse of God and the wrath of God and the fury of God but it's there that he finishes the work of redemption it's there that he says triumphantly it is finished we as Christians look at the cross as an emblem of Christ's glory and that's what he is doing here the cross which was a scandal to the unbelieving Jew was nevertheless a demonstration demonstration that Christ is both the wisdom and the power of God so he says the hour has come that the son of man should be glorified he Associates that with his death but I think Jesus assumes everything else that goes along with his death his Incarnation that means his life of perfect obedience is his his death on the cross but then his resurrection and then his exaltation to the right hand of the father all of that is the glorification of the son of man who for us man and for our salvation came down from heaven so that's the Declaration concerning the hour the hour has come that the son of man should be glorified now let's move on to the implications of that hour in verses 24 to 26. in other words notice what Jesus doesn't do I'm going to die let's go what's the significance of this death what does it mean for us there's a Latin phrase I think it's Pro Nobis which is God for us for us men and for our Salvation he came down from heaven and I Think Jesus now is going to lead his hearers by the hand to explain to them the significance of his death in other words it's not just some abstract concept but it has concrete application in the lives of real human beings he didn't just come down to set an example he didn't just come down to start a new religion he didn't just come down to to be a revolutionary he came down for us man and for our Salvation And there's three things he says concerning that hour with reference to us in the first place he says the death that he dies is absolutely necessary verse 24 secondly he underscores the response to his death verse 25 and then outlines the benefit of his death in verse 26 so he moves from the concept of his dying to the application of that death in the lives of the people so let's look at the necessity of his death notice verse 23 the hour has come that the son of man should be glorified now as if he's amplifying or explaining or expounding on that he goes on to give the significance of the hour so verse 24 most assuredly I say to you unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains alone but if it dies it produces much grain now let me just ask you is Jesus a farmer does he have any an agricultural lesson I know that that Home Depot has lessons for kids on how to learn carpentry what a good thing take your kids to that you know they should learn how to build stuff they should learn how to you know use Hammers and nails and put things together is is Jesus just got an agricultural bent that's his mindset you know I just want to teach you about how to plant seeds and what happens as a result of that no that's not his concern he's using a real life illustration with spiritual application Paul does this when he comes to deal with man resurrected from the dead he says in First Corinthians chapter 15 at verse 36 foolish one what you sow is not made alive unless it dies so Christ speaks of the hour Associates that with his glorification and then shift gear specifically in verse 24 to his death and notice the emphasis there has been in the history of theology a discussion on the way that God Saves Sinners could God who is omnipotent save sinners in a way other than his son coming taking on our flesh living dying and being raised again some have suggested yeah he and his power could have formulated another way that would not have entailed the death of his son that's always seemed suspicious to me because it's always sort of suggested that the infinitely wise God didn't choose the infinitely wise path to save his people from their sins to uphold both his Justice and righteousness and to manifest his grace and mercy and love notice that Jesus says unless unless this series of events transpires you will die in your sins unless a seed is planted and it dies or unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains alone but if it dies it produces much grain so notice the necessity of his death in other words there's no stopping this there's no sort of staying the hand of Jesus this is why I say for instance in Matthew chapter 16 just after saying to to Peter Peter confesses Thou Art the Christ the son of the Living God and Jesus says blessed are you Simon barjona Flesh and Blood didn't reveal this to you but my my father is in heaven revealed this just a few verses later in my Bible it's a few you know two inches down Jesus announces that he must go to Jerusalem he must be tried he must be delivered up and he must die what does Peter do the man who was just pronounced blessed Simon barjona he says forbid it Lord that that's not going to happen and what does Jesus then do well you know Peter that's just the way it's got to be it says Get Behind Me Satan you're not thinking God's thoughts after him not thinking in terms of the prophets you're not thinking in terms of Moses you're not thinking in terms of blood atonement you're not thinking about that day of atonement which necessitated the death of the goat in order for the forgiveness of sins so the Lord Jesus must die and when we look at the application that follows here and that we know of Elsewhere we learn a few things first the death of Jesus Christ that must take place that's what he Associates with the hour but notice as well the death of Jesus Christ for the benefit of others don't miss that the for us Nas about the mission of the Savior so verse 24 most assuredly I say to unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains alone but if it dies it produces much grain in other words there's benefit for others through the death of the Savior Peter waxes on this when he says for Christ also suffered once for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but Made Alive by the spirit in other words when you look at the death of Christ there's an exemplary a factor to it you know go out and die for Jesus the way Jesus showed how you know he died for us okay but that's not the primary emphasis the primary emphasis is you know Hebrews 9 without the shedding of blood there is no remission it's Ephesians 1 7. in him we have Redemption through his blood the Forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace so what is the death of Christ entail it entails benefit for others but if you're reading verse 24 it's not just a handful of others is it is it just one tree one sprout a few you know hyper Calvinists tell us there's only a handful in heaven I mean come on why would you even preach the gospel there's you know not not much hope for anybody out there it's only hope for a handful is that what Jesus teaches is that what Jesus says is true concerning the death of the the death of Christ look at what he says in verse 24 most assuredly I say to you unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains alone but if it dies it produces much grain it's not just grain but the accent I think ought to fall on the muchness of the grain and lo and behold when you move through scripture going from this point on you you get to the Book of Revelation and when you get to the Book of Revelation is it just a handful what about those churches that think they're the only ones that are right we've been accused of that Brethren just because you prefer something or you think something is right doesn't necessarily exclude everybody else I think Reformed Baptist theology our confession of Faith represents in summary form what the Bible teaches but I'm not suggesting that's it if you don't hold the 1689 you're hell-bound there are churches in history that have interpreted it that way when you get to the Book of Revelation is it just that church is it just that group of mouth breathers and knuckle draggers that are going to sit at the Throne of God most high then that's not what you get listen to John elsewhere John who wrote the Gospel writes in Revelation and they sang a new song saying you are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals for you are slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and Nation Revelation 7 9-10 after these things I look down Behold a great multitude which no man can number what is that suggest in terms of our missionary fervor it ought to give us that impotence it ought to make us prayerful it ought to make us hopeful it ought to make us confident and expectant it ought to send us to our knees when we look at Revelation 7 and you see this great multitude assembled Before the Throne of God and Jesus says As much here in verse 24 produces much grain so John says after these things I looked and behold a great multitude which no one could number of all Nations tribes peoples and tongues standing Before the Throne and before the lamb clothed with white robes with palm branches in their hands and crying out with a loud voice saying salvation Belongs To Our God who sits on the throne into the land they're not congratulating themselves they're not patting themselves on the back they're not Armenians or pelagians they're not celebrating their free will they're not saying praise God because we were smarter than everybody else salvation Belongs To Our God and to the lamb who sits on the throne the one who died produces much grain now going back to John chapter 12 notice secondly that specific response to his death in other words what is the much grain going to look like he says he's going to die he says that his death is necessary he says that his death will indeed produce much grain well how do we know what that much grain looks like do they have G's on their back grain do they have Ease on their forehead elect do they wear special clothing do they have special you know Insignia are they identifiable in a group of people just by our the way we look at them well notice what Jesus says in verse 25 the response to his death he who loves his life will lose it and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life in other words the much grain are going to be those who by God's grace believe on Jesus you you see that emphasis all throughout John's gospel you see it in John chapter one you see it in John chapter 6 you see it in John's purpose statement for the very writing of the book John 20 30 and 31 these things are written so that what so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and that by believing in him you may have everlasting life so those by grace who believe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ are described here in verse 25 as not being tied to this world as not being lovers of this world as not being the sorts of people that value the temporal that value the physical and that value what they can touch taste feel and see right here and right now he's not calling us to asceticism he's not saying you're going to go live out in the desert and don't eat and die he's not saying that but he is telling us that those who are tied to this present evil age those who find truck with the Godless in our day those who do not value and and pride is Jesus Christ those who do not have a saving interest in him are those who love their lives they're those who don't care about eternity have you ever witnessed or testified or tried to share the gospel with somebody and they were so tied and set to this present evil age they wouldn't even hear it the thought of another world the thought of a glorious God the thought of a coming judgment the thought that there would be discrimination on the part of the son of man between the sheep and the goats people don't care in a materialistic age all they want is Netflix and chill all they want is some you know beer in their fridge and some hockey on their television all they want is the here and now but for the people of God we may struggle with some of that to be sure we've got remaining laziness and apathy and lethargy and all that sort of thing but definitionally we are concerned about the age to come descriptively we are a people that are that are fixated with the blessed savior notice what he says here in verse 25 he who loves his life will lose it and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life in a parallel in Matthew 16 verses 24 to 26 then Jesus said to his disciples if anyone desires to come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me forever desires to save his life will lose it whoever loses his life for my sake will find it for what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul or what will a man give in exchange for his soul that's obviously what he's talking about In this passage so verse 25 he who loves his life will lose it if you are attached to you yourself and you if your orientation is the Unholy Trinity me myself and I you're going to lose your life you're going to go to hell notice that Jesus doesn't ever shy away from telling that we can't tell Sinners that they're going to go to hell because they won't like that oh well then therefore let's just throw out you know large swaths of our Bible he's through the hospital Ministry in pre-covered times and we'd always get the guidelines you know don't talk about judgment don't talk about hell well you know I've never been constrained a walk past my neighbor's house and it's on fire and say well you know I'm just not going to let them know that his house is on fire that would be ghoulish and insensitive see others might interpret that as loving to say you know what your house is on fire you probably should vacate it grab the wife grab the kids grab the dog get out just just go because your house is on fire how is it unloving to tell people the truth why has the church bought that lie why has the church been so conditioned to think that we can't ever say anything that might make people feel bad do you know what Brethren feeling bad occasionally is a good thing feeling your guilt and your sin and your shame can be a blessed thing when it brings you to the foot of the cross when it causes you to say what the hymn writer foul eye to the Fountain fly Wash Me savior or I die when it evokes from that same hymn nothing in my hand I bring simply to thy cross I cling see Brethren Jesus doesn't shy away from telling people that if you resist him and you reject him you will lose your life you will perish in hell you will go to that place of torment and Damnation and curse and notice when he goes on in verse 25 he says he who loves his life will lose it and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life again that doesn't mean you wake up and you punch yourself doesn't mean you go to the cupboard and get Arsenic and ingest it it doesn't mean you stand out on train tracks that's not what it means hating your life in this world means the opposite to what those lovers of their life in this world look like they don't care about the age to come they don't think about the judgment to God they don't think about the reality of the gracious God who sent his son into this world Sinners to save so when by Grace we believe the gospel what else do we learn we learn to hate the world in the righteous sense Paul speaks this language in in Romans 12 do not be conformed to the world what does he mean stop eating stop wearing clothes stop having a house no he means don't be a Wretch like everybody who populates the world don't be Wicked don't be vile don't be wretched you've been bought with a price therefore glorify God with your body and soul and then notice thirdly and finally with reference to the implications he speaks concerning the benefit of his death the benefit of his death I mean he does this a lot elsewhere and so do the so does the entirety of the New Testament but in this particular instance he gives the Declaration verse 24 uh three and then he brings out these implications the necessity of his death the the the the the the the the purpose or rather the uh the uh uh uh the response to his death on the part of the verse 25 people and then notice in verse 26 and I think the connection is simple the death of Christ produces much grain the much grain is obviously not you know fruit trees and bushes and shrubs and all that the the the much grain is saved Sinners those Sinners believe in him by the grace of God and they are the ones who hate their life in this world and they keep it for eternal life now notice the benefit the benefit you'll probably zip through 26 and say oh yeah there it is my my father will honor but I suggest the preceding Clauses are benefit too look at what he says in verse 26 if anyone serves me when you hear that language do you go I want to serve any man you're not the boss of me who says that donations in Rebellion against Yahweh and it's Christ you're not the boss of me for the blood-bought child of God who by God's grace is believing in Jesus the service of Christ isn't the chore the service of Christ is the blessing it's a benefit it's the goodness it's the joyfulness remember years ago I preached from Acts chapter 2 the response of the church to the preaching of Peter and somebody took me aside that somebody's no longer here he said well now well I was preaching the bit they continued steadfastly the apostles Doctrine Fellowship in the breaking of bread in prayers now I guess in one category you could see that as law but I was preaching it as the Glorious blessing of the blood-bought children of God who get to continue steadfastly in the apostles Doctrine in Fellowship in the breaking of bread and prayers if there's a hotness or must-ness to this and it causes you to recoil and you've not embraced the the blessedness of it and so when Jesus says in the connection here he produces much grain save Sinners they believe by God's grace they hate their lives and they keep keep it for eternal life and then he says if anyone serves me beautiful we get to serve our Jesus what could be better this is what Adam and Eve were purposed to do with God isn't it it didn't come from the hand of God as vile cantankerous Sinners rebelling against him when when God comes to deal with them in their sin when does he come he comes in the coolness of the day I don't know all the ins and outs of that but I surmise it was after Adam's work day after Adam went out and did what he was supposed to do in terms of his vocation under God God would come and bless them with his presence I don't know anybody would say oh that's terrible I wouldn't want to commune with God I don't want to have any truck with God I don't want to serve Jesus well if that's the case may I exhort you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved because his servants want to serve they only are upset that they don't serve them as they ought isn't that our usual complaint I'd like to serve them a whole lot better sorry Lord I don't serve you as I as I as I should so I am not as good as a of a servant praise God we're not going to heaven because of our servanthood to our lord Jesus but rather his servanthood for us in terms of his life death and Resurrection notice the the the trajectory here if anyone serves me let him follow me John 8 he talks about being a slave of sin what does a slave of sin do he follows the devil he follows his lusts he's governed by his passions he's governed by you know the things that that the Baal worshipers were governed when you look at the Old Testament there's a contrast between the worship of the living and true God and Baal what was Baal about bail is about sexual promiscuity Baal was about indulging yourself Baal was about trying to get Bill worship was trying to get Baal to return in kind fertilization for crops that's not how Yahweh was worshiped what about moloch if you wonder how moloch was worshiped think Planned Parenthood because it's pretty much the same moloch was a big statue without stretched arms and they had a fire at his base how'd they worship they'd bring their little ones and throw them into the arms of mullah the psalmist says that the idol has eyes and cannot see he has a ears but he can't hear he's got a nose but he can't smell he's got a mouth but he can't speak he'd also say they have arms and they can't catch so when they threw these little ones into the arms of Mohawk what do you think happened he now have opposable thumbs he didn't have the ability to do what you and I do if a baby's falling so that baby would bounce off the arms right into the fire and that's the way moloch was praised it's about passion it's about lust it's about carnality it's about Sin what does Jesus say the one who serves me Will Follow Me and when we follow him we don't go oh man I gotta follow Jesus how terrible is that in the parallel of Matthew 16 pick up your cross daily and follow me that means be ready to die we've we've reinterpreted that too you know the cross today in the Christian Life is you know my wife doesn't have dinner ready at 5 30. what a cross to bear I've got a son who loses you know his hockey stuff in my garage and it smells what a cross to bear I got this person at work that's a real pain and what a crossed a bit the cross in Matthew 16 was the willingness to die for Jesus it was the willingness to follow the lamb wherever he goes in Matthew Revelation chapter 14 you see that who are these that are washed who are these that are spotless who are these that are purified they're the ones who follow the lamb wherever he goes Revelation 14 4. so Jesus says if anyone serves me let him follow me and where I am I love the language notice the contrast intenses Jesus is there huh remember he's not just true Humanity he's true Divinity he never ceases being true divinity and we saw the same sort of thing in John 3 at verse 13. same sort of curious language concerning the person of our Lord Jesus John 3 13 no one is ascended to heaven but he who came down from heaven that is the son of man who is in heaven he does the same thing here in John chapter 12 at verse 26 if anyone serves me let him follow me and where I am dare my servant will be also so there's a present-ness in terms of Jesus according to his divinity where I am and there's a future in s in terms of us let him follow me and where I am there my servant will be also the ones for whom Jesus dies the one for whom Jesus Lives the one for whom Jesus saves those ones have a secure future based on what he's accomplished on their behalf we will be with him that's what I want you to get from this passage we will be with him don't we enjoy him now in public worship I hope you do you say with David in Psalm 12 said unto me let us go to the house of the Lord even even when you first pop out of bed that's not true by the time you get to the parking lot it may still not be true when you walk through those doors it still may not be true once you start seeing the Brethren once you start singing praises to God once you start hearing the word red once you start hearing the word preached once you start engaging in the worship of the Triune God hasn't it caught up with you yes I am glad to be in the house of the Lord we're going to dwell with him forever and that's the promise connected to the hour the glorification of the son means the glorification of the sons of men the glorification of Christ means the glorification for All Those whom the father had given him and that's the sure promise of our blessed savior in verse 26 if anyone serves me let him follow me and where I am there my servant will be also if anyone serves me him my father will honor now this idea of the father honoring us we're going to see glimpses of that in the upper room discourse as well it's inconceivable God honoring me really I mean come on that that is you know you you talk about stuff that's hard to believe but brethren we walk by faith and what the scripture says and all the honoring here doesn't mean that God bows down to us oh beautiful wonderful human I think John Gill gets it right Gill says by accepting his service this is what it means to honor us it's what it means by the father honoring us it means to accept our service because it comes cleansed in the precious blood of Jesus clothed in the righteousness of Jesus so therefore this can in fact be a sweet smelling Aroma to our god so by accepting his service affording him his gracious presence here and by giving him eternal glory Hereafter to which he has called him and as well we know that the father honors the son so what Jesus is saying that that beautiful relationship that obtains between the father and the son is extended to include all those whom the father has given to the son another man says Jesus said this to show how intimately his servants are related to him inasmuch as they will be honored by the same one who honors the son for the honor the son has by his nature they will have by grace beautiful this is what Jesus is talking about he announces the arrival of the hour verse 23 he draws out the implications of that hour in verses 24 to 26 the next time we come to John's gospel we will see further amplification and explanation of what the hour entails in the following verses but in conclusion we ought to appreciate in the first place the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ he comes to save his people from their sins and vital to that is this hour vital to that is his death vital to that is his suffering in our stead the Wrath and furion curse of God most high see gospel readers can fall into that we read it and we see what horrible people people are and brethren we should see that we should see that when we move into the passionate narrative there's something more going on than the wretch is saying away with him away with him crucify him there's something more going on than the Roman soldiers you know banging nails through his wrists to hang him on that tree there's something more going on than the the the rabble at the base of the Cross mocking himself he saved others let's see if he can save himself what's going on beyond that is the Wrath and fury of God most high when Christ goes into Gethsemane it's not what man is going to do to him it's what God's going to do to him it's the Cup of Wrath that he must drink his soul was exceedingly sorrowful even unto death according to Matthew 26. what does he pray to the father if it is possible let this cup pass from me but the resolution is very clear nevertheless not my will but thine be done in other words he must go to the Cross please see his glory in that and then secondly the nature of discipleship see Jesus again doesn't throw his his death out there the allusion to his death in sort of an abstract way he defines for us and describes for us what it would look like for the benefactors you're not going to be the kind of person that is so tied to this Earth You have no concern whatsoever for the age to come if by Grace you believe the gospel you're going to be fixated on another world now again fixated Ebbs and flows I wish I was more fixated on that that world of love than I am but at the same time there is a radical orientational change in the lives of Believers what we once valued once we won sustained once we once prized we say with the Apostle Paul that that this is dead to me now everything that was profit I I count but loss why for the Excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord so whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world that's the change that's of God that's regeneration that saving Faith that's that breach in terms of the old man that is living now for our Lord Jesus Christ serving him following him not whining when you hear a sermon on the law because the Commandments of God are not burdensome to those who have the spirit of God they lost the law they're like David that man in the old Covenant who says I love the law of the Lord it is my delight all day and night and then finally for anybody here that's not a Believer I want to stick to the script here because I want to make sure that I get this across first consider the wisdom of these Greeks consider the wisdom of these Greeks there is no more important question on the face of the Earth than sir we wish to see Jesus not your portfolio not your college plans not the little Philly you're going to marry but sir we wish to see Jesus consider the wisdom of these Greeks as well recognize the way of approach to God it's not by your works because they're terrible it's not by your performance because it's ratchet but it's by God's grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ the Bible is clear we're Justified freely by his grace and the way that we appropriated the instrument rather by which we come into saving contact with God is Faith In Jesus but as well understand that faith in Christ is the alone instrument of justification yet it's not alone in the person Justified in other words once we're Justified then what I think verses 25 and 26 illustrate that for us we come to Jesus we're Justified freely by his grace we're forgiven of our sins we're clothed in his righteousness now what well now we repent of self-love and a love for this present evil age now we serve the blessed savior who is all together lovely and chief among ten thousand now we follow him wherever he goes and just realize this he's never going to lead us into debauchery if you find yourself committing adultery or committing Saft or you're a robber Jesus didn't lead you there Brethren that's off the devil that's of this present evil age Jesus leads you into pastures that are good for your soul Jesus lead you to those things which are good and pleasing in the sight of a great God and to follow him means blessing it means privilege It ultimately means inclusion in the very Heaven of God himself where Jesus Christ is anticipate that look forward to it understand that the momentary light Affliction that we go through in this present age is nothing compared to the exceeding weight of Glory that is awaiting for all of God's children well let us pray our blessed father we thank you for your word we thank you for the ministry of Our Lord we thank you as well for his teaching the clarity of it and the emphasis on this hour this glorification of the son of man I pray that you would all give us that saving interest in him that we would all be looking to him in faith that we would know the joy of being found in him not having our own righteousness which is from the law but that which is from you and received through faith alone I pray that you would go with us that you would bless us that you would help us to to follow the lamb and to do so with great joy and with great Thanksgiving and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well you can turn in your hymn books to 568 and we'll close our service by singing the doxology in praise to our Triune god father Son and Holy Spirit [Music] here praise God [Music] Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen go with us now most high and bless us and strengthen us and keep us by your Sovereign Grace and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we may be seated for a brief time of meditation