GOD Morning! Light and Darkness / April 27, 2017
Light and Darkness
John 12:27-50
Jesus Foretells His Death
27 “Now My soul is troubled and deeply distressed; what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour [of trial and agony]’? But it is for this [very] purpose that I have come to this hour [this time and place]. 28 [Rather, I will say,] ‘Father, glorify (honor, extol) Your name!’” Then a voice came from heaven saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
We have all had those deeply dark times where we had no words. We can all look back to a “darkest hour” in our lives.
Death. Divorce. Sickness. You name it.
“What shall I say? Father, save me from this trial?”
There are no words at a time like this. Jesus was staring death in the face. He had no words, so He glorified the Father. And he got an answer!
29 The crowd of people who stood nearby and heard the voice said that it had thundered; others said, “An angel has spoken to Him!” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.
The people nearby heard the voice. Folks are watching us in our darkest hour. When we are staring death, divorce, loss, or (fill in the blank) in the face. They will speculate among themselves. All eyes will be on us. And because of our decision to glorify God in our darkest hour, all eyes will turn and focus on Him.
31 Now judgment is upon this world [the sentence is being passed]. Now the ruler of this world (Satan) will be cast out. 32 And I, if and when I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw all people to Myself [Gentiles, as well as Jews].”
When we are in the middle of our deepest pain and/or shame, we will draw all people to Christ. IF we glorify Him.
33 He said this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die. 34 At this the crowd answered Him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; how then can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”
35 So Jesus said to them, “The Light is among you [only] a little while longer. Walk while you have the Light [keep on living by it], so that darkness will not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going [he is drifting aimlessly]. 36 While you have the Light, believe and trust in the Light [have faith in it, hold on to it, rely on it], so that you may become sons of Light [being filled with Light as followers of God].”
Verses 35 and 36 sums up everything in life. Listen up! The light is only here for a little while. We must live by the light. We must walk in the light. Why drift aimlessly when we can be guided by His glorious light? While we have it, that is. We must hang on to this life giving Light for dear life. Literally. When we are walking in the Light of Jesus, we are filled with the Light of Jesus. We shine in a dark world. These two scriptures are key to living and walking down here on earth. We will never find our way when we embrace darkness. Never.
Jesus said these things, and then He left and hid Himself from them.
37 Even though He had done so many signs (attesting miracles) right before them, yet they still did not believe and failed to trust Him.
Ahhhh… So many folks see His miracles, feel His presence right in front of them. And yet they don’t believe. This is a mystery to me.
38 This was to fulfill what Isaiah the prophet said: “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm (the power) of the Lord been shown (unveiled, revealed)?”39 Therefore they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, to keep them from seeing with their eyes and understanding with their heart and being converted; otherwise, I [their God] would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke about Him.
When a person resists God over and over, finally there will come a point when He will blind their eyes and harden their heart. I firmly believe this because I have seen it happen.
42 Nevertheless, even many of the leading men believed in Him [as Savior and Messiah], but because of the Pharisees they would not confess it, for fear that [if they acknowledged Him openly] they would be put out of the synagogue (excommunicated); 43 for they loved the approval of men more than the approval of God.
BOOM. There you have it. The main reason that folks choose not to trust in God. We all love to blend in. We love approval. It’s the human way.
44 But Jesus loudly declared, “The one who believes and trusts in Me does not believe [only] in Me but [also believes] in Him who sent Me. 45 And whoever sees Me sees the One who sent Me. 46 I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes and trusts in Me [as Savior—all those who anchor their hope in Me and rely on the truth of My message] will not continue to live in darkness. 47 If anyone hears My words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but to save the world.
Maybe I’m off base here but what I’m understanding in verse 47 is that Jesus is not judging you and me right now. If we are hearing Him but sometimes failing to live according to His teaching, He is not condemning us. Right now, while the Light is accessible, he is simply drawing us. However…
48 Whoever rejects Me and refuses to accept My teachings, has one who judges him; the very word that I spoke will judge and condemn him on the last day.
On the last day, Judgement Day, we all will be judged.
49 For I have never spoken on My own initiative or authority, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment regarding what to say and what to speak. 50 I know that His commandment is eternal life. So the things I speak, I speak [in accordance with His exact instruction,] just as the Father has told Me.”
On a final note, verses 49 and 50 say it all in a nutshell.
What if we lived our lives like this? What if we were simply obedient at all times as Jesus was when He walked the earth? “No way”, you may say. “This is not possible!”
Maybe it’s not possible, but I sure enjoy trying. If I don’t try to be this person, then I slide back swiftly into darkness.
I would love to be able to say, “I have never said anything that my Lord didn’t tell me to say. When I speak, I am always obeying His exact instruction.”
This right here is who I want to be. I am not this person yet. But oh the joy of striving to be this person.
I fall time and time again, I fail over and over. But I keep getting up. I keep striving towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus.
“I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3:14 AMP
“Dear Jesus, I long to walk in the light. Sometimes I make choices on purpose that aren’t necessarily terrible, but they lead me slightly away from the Light of You. Please. Keep drawing me.
I long to arrive at that glorious place in You where I can say with all of my heart, “I don’t say or do anything unless the Lord leads me to do so.”
Ahhhh… So many folks see His miracles, feel His presence right in front of them. And yet they don’t believe. This is a mystery to me.
38 This was to fulfill what Isaiah the prophet said: “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm (the power) of the Lord been shown (unveiled, revealed)?”39 Therefore they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, to keep them from seeing with their eyes and understanding with their heart and being converted; otherwise, I [their God] would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke about Him.
When a person resists God over and over, finally there will come a point when He will blind their eyes and harden their heart. I firmly believe this because I have seen it happen.
42 Nevertheless, even many of the leading men believed in Him [as Savior and Messiah], but because of the Pharisees they would not confess it, for fear that [if they acknowledged Him openly] they would be put out of the synagogue (excommunicated); 43 for they loved the approval of men more than the approval of God.
BOOM. There you have it. The main reason that folks choose not to trust in God. We all love to blend in. We love approval. It’s the human way.
44 But Jesus loudly declared, “The one who believes and trusts in Me does not believe [only] in Me but [also believes] in Him who sent Me. 45 And whoever sees Me sees the One who sent Me. 46 I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes and trusts in Me [as Savior—all those who anchor their hope in Me and rely on the truth of My message] will not continue to live in darkness. 47 If anyone hears My words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but to save the world.
Maybe I’m off base here but what I’m understanding in verse 47 is that Jesus is not judging you and me right now. If we are hearing Him but sometimes failing to live according to His teaching, He is not condemning us. Right now, while the Light is accessible, he is simply drawing us. However…
48 Whoever rejects Me and refuses to accept My teachings, has one who judges him; the very word that I spoke will judge and condemn him on the last day.
On the last day, Judgement Day, we all will be judged.
49 For I have never spoken on My own initiative or authority, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment regarding what to say and what to speak. 50 I know that His commandment is eternal life. So the things I speak, I speak [in accordance with His exact instruction,] just as the Father has told Me.”
On a final note, verses 49 and 50 say it all in a nutshell.
What if we lived our lives like this? What if we were simply obedient at all times as Jesus was when He walked the earth? “No way”, you may say. “This is not possible!”
Maybe it’s not possible, but I sure enjoy trying. If I don’t try to be this person, then I slide back swiftly into darkness.
I would love to be able to say, “I have never said anything that my Lord didn’t tell me to say. When I speak, I am always obeying His exact instruction.”
This right here is who I want to be. I am not this person yet. But oh the joy of striving to be this person.
I fall time and time again, I fail over and over. But I keep getting up. I keep striving towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus.
“I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3:14 AMP
“Dear Jesus, I long to walk in the light. Sometimes I make choices on purpose that aren’t necessarily terrible, but they lead me slightly away from the Light of You. Please. Keep drawing me.
I long to arrive at that glorious place in You where I can say with all of my heart, “I don’t say or do anything unless the Lord leads me to do so.”
Yes! This is where I long to be! One with You. All day. Every day. In the good times. In the dark times. One with You.
How I love and adore You, my precious Jesus. Amen.”
How I love and adore You, my precious Jesus. Amen.”
Blessings,
Vicki
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