John 12:29-36 The Cross: The Game Changer

So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him. Jesus answered and said, “This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes. Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die. The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.” John 12:29-36

Observation

1.     The voice of the Father came out of heaven for the benefit of the people even though the people could not decipher what it meant. What does it mean when Jesus said, “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself”? It means the following:

a.     Jesus would be exalted as King and Judge of this world and He will defeat and cast out the ruler of this world, which is the devil. After the devil was cast out, he lost his authority and power against God and His children.

b.     Jesus would die on the cross (“be lifted up”). In doing so, He would resurrect and overcome the curses of poverty and sickness on behalf of humanity. Those who draw near to God will receive the gift of salvation and healing. The cross is the seed of salvation and abundant living for all humanity.

2.     The crowd knew that the Savior will reign as King forever (Daniel 7:13-14). However, they were blind to the parts of the scripture that spoke of Christ’s suffering and disfigurement on the cross: “Just as many were astonished at you, My people. So His appearance was marred more than any man. And His form more than the sons of men.” (Isaiah 52:14). The Jews were blind because they refused to acknowledge that they were sinners themselves and needed Christ to suffer and save them.

3.     Jesus urged the people to come to the Light while they were still able to. It is possible for one to be completely overtaken by darkness and deception, until he is no longer able to see the light of God. The danger in delaying one’s repentance is that one may no longer recognize the way to eternal life and the way that leads to death.

Truth

1.     The cross changes our destiny and leads us towards abundant living. The cross is the game changer; it changes the fate of individuals, families, communities and even nations. It is through the cross that the ruler of this world was cast out and rendered powerless forever. The cross is the manifestation of the love, wisdom and power of Christ that draws humanity to salvation: “I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” It is through the cross that condemned sinners are made saints, those who mourn are comforted, those who are poor shall inherit wealth, and those who are sick shall be healed. The more we immerse ourselves in the power of the cross, the more we live abundantly. How do we do that? Whenever we are faced with the troubles of life, we must picture the cross standing between us and our troubles. The cross exuberates assurance, peace and the confidence of the God, empowering us to overcome. The cross gives us the power and wisdom to resolve the issues and problems of life. Hence, at all times, we endeavor to clear our mind of all things negative except the cross that has the power to turn things around.

But if we find ourselves being less reliant on the power of the cross, arrogance and self-righteousness may set in. The Jewish leaders did not find a need to depend on God for forgiveness because they were self-reliant and blinded by darkness.

2.     Every act of sin adds bondage and blindness to the soul. The act of repentance breaks the bondage and brings clarity. When one yields to temptations by acting according to its passions, a greater bondage and blindness will come upon him. Bondage and blindness cause one to make poor decisions bringing disaster upon himself. Bondages include unforgiveness, envy, pleasures of the flesh, and pride. When we allow our soul to dwell on these things, our bondage increases and we lose our peace and clarity. For example, in matters concerning financial investments, marriage or career, wrong decisions will lead one towards grave consequences. If one’s eyes are blinded by fear, greed or pride, he is bound to fail. But if we reject the temptations as soon as they come, we do not give them an opportunity to take a foothold. It is possible for one who has a propensity for goodness to be overcome by darkness because of bitterness and lust of the flesh.

Applications

1.     Be aware of how hopelessness, unforgiveness, and unbelief take root in your soul and be vigilant to reject them. Always put the cross between you and the problem, and you will be able to defeat them. The cross represents justice in the midst of injustice, forgiveness in the midst of betrayal, victory in the midst of hopelessness.

2.     When you are tempted, always be reminded of the earthly consequences if you yield to them. Earthly consequences include lost opportunities, personal wounds and wound inflict on others, lost peace and joy. But if you stand firm against temptations, you will reap peace, joy and fruitfulness like never before.

Dear Lord, help me to constantly depend on you for the small matters as well as the big matters of life. I reject the fear of losing my livelihood, diseases, loneliness and cast them to the cross. I believe the cross is the answer for all my fears and suffering. I reject all temptations: the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, bitterness and will live abundantly in the cross. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.