Lifted Up – John 12:27-36

I often say, “I don’t fear death, I fear dying.”  Death for the believer means instant transport of our souls to the presence of God in heaven.  That is not something to be feared.  But the process of dying can be extremely excruciating, and who would look forward to that?  Jesus did not look forward to the excruciating aspects of dying and he said so.

“Now my soul is troubled, and what should I say, ‘Father, save me from this hour’?  But this hour is the reason I came.  Father, glorify Your name.”  Then a voice came from heaven, “I have both glorified it and will again glorify it.”  So the crowd standing there and who heard this said, “It thundered.”  Others were saying, “An angel spoke to him.”

Jesus answered and said, “The voice wasn’t for me but for you.  Now is the judgment for this world.  Now the ruler of this world will be cast out, and I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to me.”  he was speaking to indicate the manner of death he was to die.

The crowd responded to him, “We have heard in the law that the Messiah remains forever, so how do you say it is necessary that the Son of Man be lifted up?  Who is this Son of Man?”  Jesus told them, “For a short while the light is among you.  Walk while you have the day, so that the darkness doesn’t overcome you.  The one who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.  While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become sons of light.”  When he had said these things he left and was hidden from them.  (John 12:27-36)

Jesus was not immune to the terrible anxiety about dying.  A part of him wanted to avoid it, ask God to save him from it.  But another part of him knew that is why he came and that it was essential for our sakes that he be “lifted up” on the cross, a most cruel instrument of death. 

To strengthen him in this decision to stay in the process the Father spoke to him from heaven.  But Jesus asserted that the voice was not for him, but for those with him, to encourage them to faith, we may assume.  It is fascinating that some were able to discern that it was a voice but to others it sounded like thunder.  Some of us are more readily open to hearing from heaven.

Satan is the ruler of this world, in the sense that far more people are under the sway of his lies than not.  God owns the world, and His kingdom is coming, but He is growing it bit by bit has He takes “real estate” from Satan through individual conversions.

Jesus’ death has indeed drawn all people to him.  There is no more talked about figure in human history.  But the death of the Messiah has been confusing to the Jews who expected him to rule on his throne forever.  Gentiles have likewise taken offense to the message of a dying God.  But this message is the light in the darkness that enables one to know where he is going.  It is only by believing this message and this “Son of Man” that we escape the darkness and are born anew as sons of light.

Discussion Questions

1. How have you dealt with the fear of death, or have you?
2. What does it mean to you that Jesus expressed his dread of dying?
3. In what sense do you think the ruler of this earth, Satan, would be cast out by Jesus’ crucifixion?
4. Why do you think there was confusion about the Messiah remaining forever and yet Jesus is going have to die first before his eternal reign is established?
5. What do you think the ‘time crunch’ Jesus seems to indicate, about the day and being overcome by the dark, is or was about?
6. Why have you believed that Jesus is the light and have believed in that light?