A Plentiful Harvest of New Lives
First B Jackson
2021-11-16

Automatically transcribed. Where this and the recording disagree, the recording is the record.

----
Oh, I thought we were supposed to stay here. You picked them. Yeah. Really? Woah.

I thought we wearing it too. Just tuning up.

Are those announcements?

Yeah. Thank you.

Hey. Good evening, everyone. How are you?

Good.

Hey. Thank you to Diane Galbraith and Scottie back there. And we're grateful that we get to eat together, and there's always a need. Always, always, always a need for food. And we're trying to make things easier so that even if you can't go get the meal and then come cook the meal, we we have frozen stuff that's already ready.

And and so, really, what we need is someone to kinda watch the food and serve the food. And so come come see me afterwards if if if it's something that you can do. I... We just need some help.

It's pretty easy. Tonight

was

my first time. Carl walked me through it.

See? Personal testimony right there. Know that operation Christmas child is on and... Wait. Wait.

Have... That's not happened yet. Pack... Packing boxes this week. Is that right?

Wednesday, I heard.

Wednesday. Okay. So there's still a chance to fill one if you'd like to. And then... Oh, yeah.

There's Thanksgiving. If you don't have a home for Thanksgiving to celebrate it. What am I trying to say right now? I'm trying to say this. You're invited to Thanksgiving dinner here.

Friendsgiving.

Friendsgiving. On Thanksgiving.

So, man,

that's the worst announcement ever. Blake, could you come and stand here and cheer places for me? Oh, man. Okay. Know this.

We're going through the book of John right now for Monday night. So we'll read the scripture through, but it's also been kinda conversation style. So I just wanna give you a heads up. You don't have to you don't have to speak, but if there's something that really grabbed ahold of you, I'd love for you to share it tonight after we read the scripture. But before we get we...

Before we get there, let's let's sing together first. God, it is always... It's always a good time to praise you, truly. And we don't have to just by worshiping you in song and singing. God, we can just marvel.

Like, today, walking in Grand Teton National Park and seeing those those just majestic mountains you've created, now that's that's worship right there to recognize what you've created and worship you, the creator. God, may your praise truly always be on our lips, on our minds, just to be in awe and wonder of you. Thank you, God, for this. Thank you, God, for your faithfulness. Thank you that we get to thank you.

Amen. God, we sing that, but also we we pray it. Truly, would you lead your church, us, God, in your love, your self giving, others focused love to those around us. God, you're the light of the world, but then you say to us that we're the light of the world. It's amazing to me that you call us to be your representatives.

God, we want to represent you well Yes. And to love people well, to be practicing these one another commands that are so important. Help us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Amen. So we're not making that up. That's second Corinthians one twenty. For all God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding yes. And through Christ, our amen ascends to God for his glory.

Amen. Can I have a seat here for a moment? Let's get into the word.

How is

everybody, by the way? How was your Monday?

Good. Good.

Monday's gonna be hard. Seriously, some of us are just limping through the week to trying to get to Thanksgiving break and tired. Yeah. God, we're... Many of us are are are feeling weary, and I do pray, God, that you would uplift uphold us, God, by your mighty right hand.

You say you will. You promise you will. God, would you encourage us tonight? Would you speak

to us?

In Jesus' name. Amen. So we're up to John chapter 12, and we're we're gonna look at verses 37 to 50. If you've got a Bible, if you got a phone, look it up there, but it's also on the the screen too. So as Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Passover, that's the context of this whole thing.

He's headed toward the cross. He's getting near the cross. And last week, he explained why he must go to the cross. And and this was a a key verse here. It was this little word picture from the last week that we studied.

Unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels. I love this part. A plentiful harvest of new lives. A plentiful harvest of new lives.

It's this beautiful word picture of the necessity of Jesus to die on that cross and raise again to give us new life. A plentiful harvest of life. That is what God is offering. Life and life to the full measure. Let's not forget it.

This is what he does. This is who he is. This is what he gives. So we can believe that. We can believe what Jesus is saying or not believe what Jesus is saying.

This week, we see that many would still not believe, and we see those reasons why. But my hope, as always, when we're reading through the book of John, is that we consider our own belief. Like, let's put ourselves there in that story. What is God saying through this book of John? So that being said, let's go ahead and read it first.

K? I'm just gonna read through the scripture first. John twelve thirty seven to 50. Here's what it says. The title is the unbelief of people.

It says, but despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him. This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted. Lord, who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? But the people couldn't believe, for as Isaiah also said, the Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts so that their eyes cannot see and their hearts cannot understand and they cannot turn to me and have me heal them.

That's tough. That's hard. That's a hard teaching. I just wanna say that out loud because it is. Verse 41.

Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah's glory. Many people did believe how... In him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders, but they wouldn't admit it for fear that the pharisees would expel them from the synagogue for they loved human praise more than the praise of God. Verse 44. Jesus shouted to the crowds, if you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me.

For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I'm just gonna pause right there. When we see Jesus, we see God. He is God in the body, God in the flesh. Verse 45...

Sorry. Verse 46. I have come as light to shine in this dark world so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. I will not judge those who hear me but don't obey me, for I have come to save the world and not judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.

I don't speak on my own authority. The father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. Verse 50. And I know his commands lead to eternal life, so I say whatever the father tells me to say. So we'll stop right there.

I'd love to pray first before we have a conversation on it. God, I've been thinking all week. You promise us that your word does not return void, that it will accomplish everything that you want it to. And I believe that with all of my heart. God, would you bless the reading of your word, but also, God, that we would hear it and understand it.

And it would motivate us, Lord, toward belief, but not just to believe, but to follow. This I sincerely pray it all... With all my heart. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Alright. Couple of thoughts on the scripture. So verse 37, it starts by saying, but despite all the the the miraculous signs that Jesus had done, most didn't believe. Considering he just raised Lazarus, a dead man from the grave. So many people heard about this and saw it.

Jesus points out... Sorry. John points out. He says, well, we knew that that many still wouldn't believe. Isaiah predicted this a long, long time ago in the Old Testament.

The people would hear, but they wouldn't understand. They would see those miraculous signs, but they still wouldn't perceive it. They wouldn't get it because they had hardened their hearts. And really, my friends, this this is the story of the Bible. That that's that is really the story of humanity.

That's the story of us, that that natural tendency of ours to reject Jesus and and and turn our own turn our own way. Like, since the beginning, we've been doing this. It began with Adam and Eve in the garden, and and and we do it too. But this is why Jesus came in. It's so important to understand that, to take these stony hearts of ours and make them tender again.

That that is what God is in the business of doing. And I really want you to hear that and know that God can take a stony hard heart and make it soft again and tender. One of my favorite verses, It's from Ezekiel, and it's God's promise to do exactly that. He says, I'm gonna give you a new heart. He's...

This is a this is a prophecy about Jesus to come. I'm gonna give you a new heart. I'm gonna put a new spirit in you. I'm gonna take out your stony stubborn heart and give you a tender and responsive heart. Isn't that so good?

That's good. My friends, this is what God's spirit does in us. When we put our faith in Jesus, he gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit. Don't forget, when you are a believer and follower of Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit to guide you, And he is giving us a tender and responsive heart. He breathes new life in us so that we can see and that we can understand and that we can come to him and be healed.

That's what the Holy Spirit does in us. He transforms these stony stubborn hearts of ours, and he makes them tender. It's a work of God through the spirit. No doubt about it. But it begins with belief and putting that belief into action.

So what's interesting to me in verse forty two and forty three, it says that many people did believe in him. They saw those miracles. They did believe, including some of those Jewish leaders, but they wouldn't admit it. That is so sad because they were afraid they'd get kicked out of the synagogue and lose their livelihood. Like, if somebody today said, listen, if you admit that you believe in Jesus, you're gonna lose your job.

That'd be tough, wouldn't it? It says, for they loved human praise more than the praise of God. That's just a tough teaching. Even though they did believe, they didn't want to admit it because it was too costly. And I'm I'm, you know, I'm bringing that to to today, to here and now.

And and I think it truly should get us thinking about the cost of following Jesus because there truly is a cost. Like, know that it's not always easy to be not just a believer but a follower of Jesus. Belief can be divisive. I mean, how many of you have family rifts because of your belief in Jesus? I mean, it's it's true.

Right? It it could put people in danger too. There are people around the world that are suffering and dying because of their belief. But Jesus reminds us that even though there are temporary trials, there is an eternal reward. So verse 46, Jesus says, he's come as light to shine in this dark world so that all who put their trust in him don't have to wander in the dark any longer because they'll have the light that leads to eternal life.

We've gotta ask ourselves, and I think we should be asking ourselves, is that worth the cost? Like, though there are trials, would I rather live in spiritual light or spiritual darkness? Could you ask yourself that question right now? Would you rather live in spiritual light and know Jesus, be saved, have eternity, or be in the dark right now? I've been asking myself that question all week.

Yes. There are trials. Yes. Belief can be costly. But isn't living in the light a whole lot better than living in spiritual darkness?

Really, for those who have been believers for a long time, aren't you so thankful that God has shed that light? Jesus is always inviting us to believe. Always, always, always. That's the whole book of John. He's always inviting us to believe.

And there are so many compelling reasons why. Having the light that leads to eternal life, that's just one of those reasons. He goes on in verse 47. I will not judge those who hear me, but don't obey me for I've come into the world to save the world, not to judge it. He tells his purpose again to save the world.

But check this out. This is very, very important too. In verse 48, it says, there will be a day when we are judged. There will be a day when we are judged and we do stand before God. And all those who reject Jesus and his message will be judged by the truth he has spoken.

Jesus says later, I'm the way in the truth and life. He's speaking only what the father tells him to say. Again, this is a really... This is another hard teaching. But catch this.

Jesus is not speaking on his own authority. He's not just speaking as a regular person. The father has told Jesus what to say and how to say it. He's fully God and he's fully man at the same time. So then it ends with verse 50.

And I know his commands lead to eternal life. Hear that, please. His commands lead to eternal life. So I say whatever the father tells me to say. That is such great news right there.

God wants us to have eternal life. He wants us to believe. But something that I keep coming back to when I read this this text right here was our will and God's will have to come together. Our will and God's will have to come together. There were those who did believe.

We saw that right there in that text. But the next step of faith, the following him, the admitting that they believed, it was too costly. And so they didn't. They let it go. And that's why I think it's important to think of reasons why to follow Jesus rather than why not.

Because we can talk ourselves, I think, out of, you know, this isn't for me. It's it's too costly. But what about the reasons why? You know, I think one of the disciples who said, Jesus, where where else do we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Where else am I gonna go? Why should we follow Jesus? Because he's the light of the world. And when we follow him, we won't walk in spiritual darkness be... Because we'll have the light that leads to life.

These are the reasons I thought these... Why do I believe in Jesus, Carl? Here's another reasons. Another reason. Why should I follow Jesus?

Because he's the bread of life and the living water. Whoever comes to him will never be hungry again, and whoever believes in him will never be thirsty. He satisfies our spiritual need. Why should I follow Jesus? Because he's the good shepherd and he sacrifices his life for the sheep.

His purpose is to give us a rich and satisfying life, it says in John 10. Why should I follow Jesus? Because he's the resurrection and the life, and everyone who believes in him will live even after dying. And my friends, that would be my encouragement to us tonight. Let's be thinking of the the the compelling reasons why to believe in Jesus, not why not, but why should we?

Those are just a few of my thoughts. I would love to hear yours. If there was something in this text that just jumped out at you, would you be willing to to share it out loud? Again, you don't have to, but we... We've had some really good conversations based on, you know, based on the text.

Blake, you... I I love it when you go first because other people talk after you talk.

I have notes that I took beforehand Yeah. Reading it and then notes that I took that came to me as as you were talking. The notes as you were talking is you talked about it's been happening since the beginning, like, hardening people's hearts and some belief and unbelief. Mhmm. And it's been happening since Moses and Genesis and Exodus and whether it's hardening people's hearts or softening people's hearts just like pharaoh, you know, when he hardened his heart.

But I think that's all to God's purpose and to to God's will. God's sovereign power. He's using people whether whether they're a willing part... Participant or not. I think that something you also said tonight is aligning our will with God's will, and that's when it then it really becomes something The joining together.

Yeah. Yep. And then 40... Verse 47 for me, the notes as I read this being more leaning towards grace than than judgment. Like, I read verse 47.

And, also, forty six forty six talks about how he is the light, and he's coming into the world to be a light. So you don't have to live in darkness. And there's this quote that I wrote down. It says, it's not the purpose of the sun, the light. It's not the purpose of the sun, s u n, like in the sky, shining to cast shadows.

But when it shines, shadows are inevitable. So his purpose in 47, If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person or do not... I did not come to judge the world but to say that. 46, right before it says, I've come into the world as the light. So you can't have light without darkness.

So he's come in as the light, but the purpose of the sun isn't to create shadows. It's to be the light so we don't have to light in darkness. Now there's an inevitable... When the sun comes, it creates shadows. You can't have good without bad.

You can't have the light without shadows. You can't have being saved without a judgment. But I think the main... My main takeaway is that it's not about the judgment, and Jesus didn't come here to judge. He came to be a light.

And he's also a light to us not just for our eternal salvation. It's a light that's here now. Right here. And anybody that wants to choose that, and like you said, align our will with God and this... And Jesus' will doesn't have to live in the darkness anymore because the light has come.

Yeah. Now there is a shadow that comes from it, but that's not the... That's not why the sun shines. Mhmm. It's not to create shadows.

It's to create light for us here and now. Mhmm. Yep.

Love it. Thank you for sharing those thoughts, Blake. Yeah. Leah?

Piggyback on that, I guess. You talk about living in the lightness, and I think our world is so starved for truth. Mhmm. No matter who you are, no matter what you're looking for, everybody's looking for truth. Then truth doesn't...

If you don't believe truth to be true, that doesn't change the truth. Mhmm. And so I think you get to know Jesus and you... When you get to know the truth that Jesus brings, that that that is the light. That is that freedom that you get to live in and walk in.

And, I mean, how how gracious is he to bestow that as as we just choose that truth. Mhmm. Yep. I just... I I think if there is no truth, then all bets are off.

Right? Anything's fair game. But because Jesus came to save and he came to point us to truth, when we choose that, that's when we get that true freedom and when we actually are living in the light. Mhmm. Yep.

And what I love about about Jesus being the truth is he's sharing this truth over and over and over and over again. It's not just like one isolated thing. He's teaching this during his whole life in ministry over and over and over again. And it's not just about the miracles we we saw yesterday that when when Ray was saying. It's the miracles authenticate that message of truth.

Thank you for sharing. Yeah. That's great.

At the very beginning, can you go way back to the slide about the seed and having to die?

Oh, yeah. Sorry. No. It's okay. I guess I

could I could go over

my blanket too, I guess.

Please do. Yeah.

Well, he does that too. Like, living in the in the light, like, Ray talks about the the rain falls in the just in the end of... Like, he's... Jesus has brought the light. I think some people are still, like, they close their eyes and choose that the the light's here, and they just choose not to walk in it.

You know? Or open their eyes and see it. And I think that's... I agree with what you were saying. It's like Yeah.

Like, just because you don't believe the truth doesn't

Doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. Like to

hear it anyways, but you can close your eyes as hard as you want anyways. Well,

So what I love about this is it's an echo of what's gonna happen to Jesus, but what also happens to the disciples too. Yeah. That because of their death and because we're all called to die for our faith in a sense, we're supposed to die to ourselves. Mhmm. Whether or we physically die because of our faith.

It's just that echo both what he's about to do and that what the disciples are also about to do too. It's... I think it's kind of a neat picture and a neat calling for all of us to do. You see that over and over again in the Bible too that Stephen dies and then the gospel explodes. You know, Like the people are exiled and it seems like this horrible thing and then...

But then the gospel explodes to all the people. We see Jesus die and that's when things really take off. So Yeah. I think it's neat how many times Jesus has these little kernels like in this little message here of something that's gonna come up in the future again. And how...

What mind blowing thing it must have been for the disciples after the fact to look back and then be like, oh, that's what he meant. Mhmm. You know? It's kind of a cool little foreshadowing, little echo forward.

Yep. I love that word picture right there. Yeah. Yep. Yep.

The positive of believing Mhmm. Instead of the cost. Yeah. You know, my thought is is that once we become saved and become gods, this is no longer... We're no longer a part of this earth, that our hope is in the the heaven and and the world to come.

You know, I think of Revelation 21, and I call it the heaven of the no mores. No more death. No more sorrow. No more tears. Amen.

That's the hope of of our of our faith is one day we'll live in the heaven of the no more, and and and God will dwell with us. Praise God. And you

know what is amazing? Simon walks to the temple,

You know? Yep. There's a deep down conviction.

Mhmm. Yep.

Thank you for sharing that. Any other thoughts from from John?

Was talking about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Yeah. Yeah. And the contrast of belief and unbelief. Like, in this...

Similar to this. Right? There's those who believe and those who don't believe, and and they they learn at a young age to believe. Mhmm. But if not, perfect.

Yep. Just to add some context.

Yep. Yep. One thing with... I... I've always held on to is that God's heart is for all to believe.

Mhmm. And that and that if if we don't come to faith, it isn't because God hasn't showed enough miracles or enough things to turn our hearts to him. It's that we've chosen to reject him. Yep.

That's a hard truth, isn't it, Gary? Yeah. It is. But he's not he's not twisting our arm.

He will not make us

But what I've seen, John, for me personally is is Jesus is so compelling. You know, you can't, like, make your kids love you, but you show them your love by doing everything you possibly can for them. And I think that's what God has done for us. He's done absolutely everything he can he could for us and and still does. You know?

His grace is always leaning in our direction. And I think the question is whether or not we accept that grace and that love that he's offering and say, okay, God, I I might be hardened against you right now, but would you could... Would you make my my heart tender?

Or

that person who said, Lord, I do believe, but help me in my unbelief. That's always been probably my favorite prayer in all of scripture is that person who had doubts and said, oh, I do believe, but would you help me in my unbelief? God, would you give us a humility to say just that when we have questions, when we have doubts, sometimes when we're fighting for our faith, that we could we could see, God, we could look back. We can we can see exactly how you did love us so much that you gave your only son, that whoever believes in you wouldn't perish but have eternal life. God, that you would just work this message into our hearts and our minds.

Yes, lord. That it would permeate who we are, that we'd have a deep down conviction. Yes. I am loved by God. Yes.

You would give your life for me. Yes. By putting my faith and trust in you, I have eternal life. But also, I have life and abundant life right now. Even though there are hard things, you say, take heart.

I've overcome the world. In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Should we sing one more song?

There's a verse that says that even when we are faithless, he is faithful. Like, this is just a characteristic of God that is... It does not change. He will always be faithful. Always stands ready to say.

I pray that God, the source of hope, fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.