Originally posted: 11/09/2019
Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. 8 For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me,” (12:7-8).
During an intimate meal with friends, there is one who boldly steps forward in selfless humiliation to prepare Him for His burial. Although Mary didn’t understand fully, Jesus did. He knew His time was approaching and He employs His final hours to call all with ears to hear.
Many come out of curiosity over the Man who raised Lazarus from the dead; perhaps some come in need of their own miracle. And knowing the needs of the masses, Jesus risks the rejection and ridicule to Convey His Compassion, to Convey to the Crowds the Hope and Light He extends in His New Covenant.
Consider What He Conveyed to the Crowds
- He Conveyed to the Crowds the Culmination of His Commitment.
- And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified… 27 Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name,” (12:23, 27).
- He Conveyed to the Crowds the Cost of Following Him.
- “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him,” (12:24-26).
- He Conveyed to the Crowds the Casting Out of the Enemy by His Coming Crucifixion.
- “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself,” (12:31-32).
- He Conveyed to the Crowds His Co-Equality with the Father.
- And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me,” (12:44-45).
- He Conveyed to the Crowds the Call to Conversion by His Light.
- 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. 36 While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light… 46 I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness,” (12:35-36, 46).
- He Conveyed to the Crowds the Conviction and Condemnation in His Word.
- “If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day,” (12:47-48).
- He Conveyed to the Crowds the Commandment of the Father.
- “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. 50 I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me,” (12:49-50).
How do we respond to What He Conveyed to the Crowds?
Jesus Conveyed His compassion to the Crowds as He cried out, imploring that they turn to Him in faith, to believe and receive Him as the Promised One sent of the Father.
And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me,” (12:44).
Refusing to believe Him ultimately seals our fate and renders us blind and hardened of heart, unable to see or receive His truth.
But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them.” 41 These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him, (12:37-41).
When we respond to His call in faith and partake in His New Covenant, we will forever be changed by His Light.
“I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness,” (12:46).
Our faith in Christ will conform us to His image, that we would follow Him to serve as He served.
“…believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light… (12:36).
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him,” (12:24-26).
- Let us pray we would grow in our boldness and desire for the approval of God rather than man.
- Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God, (12:42-43).
- As we consider the reality of eternity and what Christ did to save us, let us pray we would grow in our boldness and desire to share the gospel.
- “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself,” (12:31-32).
- Let us intercede for the lost. Let us pray the Lord would use us to Convey to the Crowds His Word, and that the Holy Spirit convict many to be saved and spared from eternal condemnation.
- “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day,” (12:48).