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John 12:42-50

As we continue to watch this drama unfold as John communicates what he remembers being witness to, there is a focus here on the unbelief surrounding Jesus. John does note that some of the Jewish religious leaders believed, and it reads as if it’s more than just Nicodemus. But because of the Pharisees, those leaders who came to belief would not speak up at the time.

John also remembers the words of the prophet Isaiah. John speaks them here to affirm that this is indeed what was going to happen to the Messiah – that He would be rejected by His own people. That’s where we pick up the story.

John 12:42-50 (NIV) Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.

Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

In John’s account these are the ending words of Jesus’ public ministry. He would later recline with His Disciples and explain things to them, but no longer preach or teach to crowds.

It seems very fitting for this to be Jesus’ ending to His earthly ministry. And honestly it’s a call that John has been giving us rom the beginning of His account of Gospel of Jesus Christ. And there is still much more to John’s account that we haven’t gotten to yet. His book isn’t over. But as far as the public ministry of Christ is concerned it has come to an end with this final plea. This final plea could not be more direct.

Jesus reaffirms not just to those people who physically heard Him, but also to the readers down throughout the generations that have handed these wonderful Scriptures to each of us even today. He reaffirms the call – no the plea – to believe in Him and by doing so, believe in the One who sent Him.

This was the time where His mission was coming to an end. The completion was near, everything was coming to culmination, and it was one last plea for the people to hear His call and the call of the Father to believe. So where does that leave us? I believe that we are in that same crowd. It may be 2000+ years later but we are still like the people represented in that crowd of people.

Some within the sound of my voice are people who have never believed in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Some are people who have believed and followed Christ for such a length of time that you have become a mature Christian. And then there are those who are everywhere between those two points on the spectrum of discipleship.

No matter where you are today, no matter if Christ is calling to you to believe in Him for the first time, or if He is calling you to strengthen your faith in Him, we have an opportunity to respond to His Word this very moment.

What do you believe, do you believe that Jesus is the only Son born of God Himself, the Messiah – the Savior of all Humanity?