Chambersburg Bible Church

Text: John 12:20-36John 12:20-36
20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: ²¹ The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. ²² Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. ²³ And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. ²⁴ Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. ²⁵ He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. ²⁶ If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. ²⁷ Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. ²⁹ The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. ³⁰ Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. ³¹ Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. ³² And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. ³³ This he said, signifying what death he should die. ³⁴ The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? ³⁵ Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. ³⁶ While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.  

Topic: The glorification of Christ through the crucifixion

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John 12:20-22John 12:20-22
20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: ²¹ The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. ²² Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.  
tell us that there was a group of Greeks who were in Jerusalem at the time of the feast, and even though they were not Jews, they had come to understand that the God of Judaism was the one and true God. Although the Bible does not indicate how they heard about Christ in Jerusalem, they were familiar with who he was and hailed him as their King.

One of the major themes of the book of John is that Jesus is the Savior of the world and not merely the Savior of Israel.

• John 1:29John 1:29
  29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. taketh away: or, beareth  
  indicates that Jesus is the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world
• John 4:42John 4:42
  42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.  
  tells us that the citizen of Samaria rightly identify Jesus as the Savior of the world
• John 6:33John 6:33
  33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.  
  shows us that Jesus gave his life for the world
• In John 8:12John 8:12
  12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.  
  , Jesus is presented as the Light of the world

On this occasion, Jesus reacts with deep emotion to the news that these gentiles are seeking him, and John 12:23John 12:23
23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.  
records His statement that the time had come for the Son to be glorified. The glory of God becomes a major theme in the Book of John from this point on.

• John 13:31-32John 13:31-32
  31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. ³² If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.  
  
• John 14:13John 14:13
  13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  
  
• John 17:1, 4-5, 22, 24John 17:1, 4-5, 22, 24
  17 ¹ These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: ⁴ I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. ⁵ And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. ²² And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: ²⁴ Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.  
  
• John 12:23John 12:23
  23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.  
  -27

• The Law of the cross (John 12:23John 12:23
  23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.  
  -27)
  • There is no fruit without death
    • It was absolutely essential for Jesus to die
    • It was necessary in order for Him to bear fruit
    • Salvation is for the Jews and Gentiles
  • There is no salvation without surrender.
    • We must be willing to lose our life in order to gain eternal life
    • The man who loves his own life will ultimately destroy it
    • The man who loves his life is right now destroying it
    • John means for us to understand that loving our lives is a self defeating process.

• The Horror of the cross (John 12:27John 12:27
  27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.  
  )
  • A prayer is offered
    • Jesus was in turmoil as He faced the cross Jesus had 2 choices in prayer:
      • “Father, deliver me from this hour” or “Father, glorify thyself!”
      • The glory of the Father was paramount!
  • A voice is heard
    • I have glorified it in the past
    • I will glorify it again in the future.
    • God was pleased with the Son and the cross was in view.

• The Fruit of the cross (John 12:31-32John 12:31-32
  31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. ³² And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.  
  )
  • The judgment of the wicked
    • The cross means judgment to the world and the wickedness therein
    • Satan was defeated in what appeared outwardly to be the very moment of his triumph.
  • The deliverance of the saved
    • What was judgment to the world and defeat to the devil is deliverance to the redeemed
    • All men will be drawn to Christ because of the cross.

Supporting Texts:

• Jude 1:24-25Jude 1:24-25
  24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵ To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.  
  

Series: Life of Joseph
Text: Genesis 42:1-38Genesis 42:1-38
42 ¹ Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another? ² And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. ³ And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. ⁴ But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him. ⁵ And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan. ⁶ And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. ⁷ And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. roughly...: Heb. hard things with them ⁸ And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. ⁹ And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. ¹⁰ And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. ¹¹ We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies. ¹² And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. ¹³ And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. ¹⁴ And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies: ¹⁵ Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. ¹⁶ Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. kept...: Heb. bound ¹⁷ And he put them all together into ward three days. put: Heb. gathered ¹⁸ And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God: ¹⁹ If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: ²⁰ But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so. ²¹ And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. ²² And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required. ²³ And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. he spake...: Heb. an interpreter was between them ²⁴ And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes. ²⁵ Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them. ²⁶ And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence. ²⁷ And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth. ²⁸ And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us? failed...: Heb. went forth ²⁹ And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying, ³⁰ The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. roughly...: Heb. with us hard things ³¹ And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies: ³² We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. ³³ And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone: ³⁴ And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land. ³⁵ And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid. ³⁶ And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me. ³⁷ And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again. ³⁸ And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.  

Purpose: The testing of God leads to forgiveness

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The closing verses of Genesis 41 summarize what took place after Joseph became vice-regent in Egypt, as the 7 years of plenty come and go just as God had revealed to Pharaoh in his dream. The 7 years of famine begin as Joseph predicted, but because Pharaoh listened to Joseph there was bread in Egypt. Chapter 42 opens with Jacob and his sons struggling for sustainance in Canaan.

Genesis 42 is a chapter of testing. God is testing Joseph and God is testing the brothers.

• The temptations of an unforgiving spirit
  • There was turmoil in Joseph’s soul when his brothers bowed before him in Egypt
  • The confrontation of chapter 42 reveals the testing of Joseph’s brothers

How do we respond when we see those who have hurt us getting their due?

• Do we rejoice?
• Do we enjoy seeing them squirm?
• Do we give way to retaliation?

• The triumph of a forgiving spirit
  • Joseph gets the victory and realizes that he must forgive
  • God want us to forgive to those who have hurt us

Is there something between you and a brother?
Has someone harmed you and you are waiting for the opportunity?
Don’t give way to the temptations of an unforgiving spirit.
Gain the victory by extending forgiveness

Supporting Texts:

• Genesis 41:41-44Genesis 41:41-44
  41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. ⁴² And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; fine...: or, silk ⁴³ And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. Bow...: or, Tender father: Heb. Abrech ⁴⁴ And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.  
  
• Matthew 7:12Matthew 7:12
  12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.