John 12:12-19 JESUS: THE KING
Intro: For thousands of years, the Jewish people had been looking for a
Messiah. They were expecting a great military leader, one who would overthrow all of their
enemies and restore Israel to its former greatness and glory. What they had not expected
was that their King would appear as a carpenter. They never expected that He would possess
no weapons, no army and political power. They certainly never knew that He would be
crucified on the cruel cross of their oppressors. However, throughout the earthly life of
Jesus, they were given evidence on top of evidence that Jesus was who He said He was. He
proved His identity time and again by His miracles, by His pedigree, by the place of His
birth, by signs and wonders too numerous to mention. Yet, they refused to believe that He
was in fact the Messiah. Time and again He revealed Himself unto them, and time and again
they rejected Him. So much so that John puts it this way, "He came unto
His own, and His own received Him not.", John 1:11. That is, Jesus came
unto His own "intimates", as in family and friends, yet they refused to have
Him!
In this 12th chapter of John's Gospel, Jesus is once more
about to reveal His identity to the nation of Israel. They will be given one final
opportunity to receive their King. This chapter, which records the details of the last few
days of Christ's public ministry paints a portrait of Jesus: The King. In these verses, we
will see who He is, what He came to do and how He carried it out. As we consider these
truths about the Lord Jesus, I challenge you to look into your own heart and see where you
stand in regard to the King. Have you received Him, or are you living in rejection of this
One who loves you so? Allow the Word of God to speak to your personal need today as we
consider together Jesus: The King.
I. V. 12-19 THE PRESENTATION OF THE KING
A. The Method Of His Presentation - Jesus
clearly proved His identity by fulfilling Zechariah's prophecy - v. 15
(Ill. When the Romans saw Jesus riding a donkey, they probably thought
it was all a joke. After all, what king rides a donkey? They did not see Him as a threat
to Roman power. Many of the Jews probably wondered why this One who would be King was
riding a lowly donkey. After all, wouldn't Messiah be riding a powerful war horse? Even
Christ's own Disciples did not understand the import of what they were witnessing, v. 16.
However, anyone in the crowd who knew the prophecy of Zechariah, "Rejoice
greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto
thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the
foal of an ass." Zech. 9:9, when they saw Jesus entering the city on
this particular day, would knew exactly what was happening. Jesus presented Himself just
as the prophet had said that He would. He came as the King!
B. The Moment Of His Presentation - Jesus made
His ride into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday. Just a few days before His death an
exactly one week before His resurrection. His entrance into Jerusalem on this particular
day was no coincidence. Rather, His entrance into Jerusalem coincided exactly with
Daniel's prophecy as found in Dan. 9:24-27. In these verses, God's plan for the nation of
Israel is on display. God will finish His work with Israel
during a 70 week period.
1. These are weeks of years and not days - Dan 9:27;
Dan. 12:11
2. This is a 490 year period.
3. A general chronology is:
a. They will begin with the order to rebuild Jerusalem
- v.25a (Fulfilled in Neh. 2:1-6, by Artaxerxes, on March 14, 445 B.C.)
b. The next phase covers 69 weeks of years broken down into two
portions, v.25b
1. It took 7 weeks of years, or 49 years to rebuild Jerusalem. All of
this during times of great trouble. (Ill. Nehemiah)
2. From that time, there were 62 weeks of years, or 434 years until
Messiah was to come. If taken literally, these 483
years leading up to the coming of Messiah would equal 173,880 days, based on a Jewish prophetic year of 360 days. Ending on April 6, 32
AD, or the exact day Jesus entered Jerusalem on the donkey! It was also on this day
that He was officially rejected by the nation of Israel, sealing their fate. (Ill. These are the 400 silent years between Malachi and Matthew.)
c. After Messiah comes, there are several prophetic events that
will take place:
1. Messiah will be cut off - The crucifixion! (Ill. This is why the Jews
refused Him, and still do - 1 Cor. 1:23; (Ill. Hidden from the Jew - Matt. 16:21) (Notice:
Not for Himself - 1 Cor. 5:21!)
2. Jerusalem will again be destroyed - Matt. 24:1-2. Fulfilled in 70
A.D. by Titus the Roman general.
3. There will be a great war that will engulf Israel - Eze. 38-39.
Russia and her allies will invade Israel.
4. 69 weeks, or 483 years of the prophecy have been literally fulfilled,
there is one week, or 7 seven years remaining.
(Ill. To put all of this into an eggshell, Jesus presented Himself as
the King of the Jews on the exact day when the prophet said He would. Simply stated, Jesus
came as the King! He did exactly what God had said that He would do, to the letter.)
C. The Multitudes At His Presentation - The
people who saw Jesus entering the city understood the implications of what He was doing.
Therefore, the cried "Hosanna" which means "Save
now." In light of His miracles, most notable, that of raising Lazarus,
and because of His public appeal, the people thought that Jesus would be the One who would
overthrow the Roman government. These people were looking for a ruler. Yet, how fickle
they were. In just 5 days, some of these same people would join their voices with those
crying "crucify Him." John 19:6. While they expected him to come as a King, they
never expected Him to die. When it became apparent over the next few days that Jesus would
not overthrow Rome, these same people who cheered Him, turned on Him and rejected Him.
(Ill. Very literally, Jesus demonstrated Himself to be the King of the
Jews. He came unto His own, just as the prophets had said, and His won received Him not,
just as the prophets had predicted, Zech. 13:6.)
I. The Presentation Of The King
II. V. 20-28; 32 THE PURPOSE OF THE KING
A. V. 24, 27, 32-33 To Die For Sin - These
verses paint a clear picture of why this King came into the world. He came to die! His
ministry here was not about the preaching, the miracles or the Disciples. His entire life
was centered around the day He would climb Calvary and be nailed to a cross. His entire
purpose in living was to die on the cross! (Ill. Jesus before Pilate - John 18:37!)
(Ill. What if the Jews had received Him as their King on that Palm
Sunday? Would the cross have still taken place? Would the King have still died? Certainly!
Notice, Jesus was the "lamb slain before the foundations of the world",
Rev. 13:8. Had He not died, there would have been no remission of sins, Heb. 9:22. Had He
not died, there would have been no salvation possible for any man. Had the Jews received
Jesus as their King, He would still have gone to Calvary, He would still have risen from
the dead and ascended back to Heaven, but the Tribulation would have happened seven years
later and then there would have been the millennium. However, because they refused to have
"this man rule over them," they opened the door for the church age and the
salvation of the church age. Jesus came to this world for the singular purpose of dying
for your sin, because He loves you - Rom. 5:8!)
B. V. 32, 20-22 To Draw Men Unto Himself - Jesus
the King is interested in drawing men unto Himself. Before He died, many came to Him in
faith, v. 20-22. However, Jesus tells us that by His death on the cross, (Ill. "Lifted
up" - refers to being crucified.), many would be drawn to Him. There is
something very compelling about the cross, when it finally dawns on the lost sinner that
Jesus hung there for them. When the Spirit of God makes this clear, then it is no longer a
foolish thing, it is no longer a thing to be scoffed at and mocked. Rather, it becomes a
thing of great power and amazement. To think that God would endure death to save a wretch
like me! That is almost more than the mind can comprehend! Dear friends, consider what
Jesus endured on your behalf! Let it become real to you. I am convinced that the lack of
sincerity in the church can be directly attributed to a lack of emotion when confronted
with Calvary. The truth of that brutal day doesn't even move many of those who claim to
have been touched by its awesome, life changing power! The cross still has the power to
move! Has it moved you? Does it move you still?
(Ill. Christ's primary desire for every life is that men come to know
Him, 2 Pet. 3:9. God's desire is that you be saved. His desire is to see you redeemed
through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. This will only happen when you receive the
Lord Jesus by faith and trust His finished work on the cross to save your soul - 1 Cor.
1:18.)
C. V. 24 To Duplicate His life In All Those Who Came By Faith
(Ill. Jesus saw His impending death as a time of glory, v. 23. Why? He did not intend to
stay dead! By His resurrection, Jesus would open the way for all men to be saved.)
(Ill. Jesus used a picture familiar to all who heard Him speaking.
Everyone knew that before a crop could be harvested, seed had to be planted first. As
those grains of seed were placed into the ground and died, they provided the means whereby
a plant would be produced. This new plant possessed the potential to bear thousands of new
grains. Because Jesus died and is risen from the dead, He has the power to duplicate His
life in every single person who places their faith in Him. That is why Paul could say
this, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but
Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the
Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.", Gal. 2:20. Not
only does Jesus save us from our sins, but He also gives us a brand new life! He allows us
to live a life that would otherwise have been impossible. This is the essence of being
"born again." Jesus takes us like we are and He saves
us by His grace, then He changes us by His power. He begins to live through us and that
makes all the difference in the world!)
(Ill. Jesus had a living illustration in the person of Lazarus! Lazarus
was living an impossible life! Yet it was a reality because of the power of God in Jesus.
So it is with us. Every Christian lives an impossible life! Impossible in that we cannot
do it on our own, we cannot produce the same results in the energy of the flesh. When we
allow Jesus to live through us, we are living the "abundant life" He spoke of in
John 10:10. This is supposed to be the normal Christian experience. Are you living an
impossible life? If so, then give God the glory for it, for it is all His work!)
I. The Presentation Of The King
II. The Purpose Of The King
III. V. 24-43 THE PREJUDICE AGAINST THE KING
A. V. 34 They Rejected His Message - When these
Jews heard Jesus speak of being "lifted up", they knew He was referring to
crucifixion. They had trouble grasping the truth that their Messiah, while He would be a
great leader and conquer their enemies, had to first taste of death for every men.
Therefore, just as men do today, they rejected the message of the cross and went on in
their sins.
(Ill. Men today still reject the message of the cross. Far too many feel
that they can do good works, be religious, or do something to commend themselves to the
Lord. In truth, there is nothing that any of us can do to save ourselves. If we reject His
message, the message of love through His death on the cross, then there is no hope, Heb.
2:3; Eph. 2:8-9; Heb. 10:26, "For if we sin wilfully after that we have
received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,"
B. V. 34 They Rejected His Ministry - Notice the
question of the people, "Who is this Son of Man?" They had taken all of His
preaching, His teaching and His wonders and had thrown them all away. They were literally
rejecting every second of His ministry to humanity.
(Ill. Again, men still do this today. They hear the Gospel and in effect
say, "I will not have this man to rule over me!" When they do this, they are
rejecting the only hope they have for salvation. You hear it often, but it bears repeating
this morning, "There is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we
must be saved., Acts 4:12. Jesus Christ is "the Way, the Truth and the Life, and no
man cometh unto the Father but by Him!" You can reject Him if that is your desire,
but when you do, remember that you are rejecting Heaven, salvation, hope and life. You are
instead embracing Hell, damnation, despair, and death. The choice is yours!)
C. V. 37 They Rejected His Miracles - Ill. Jesus
clearly proved Himself to be the Messiah, Luke 4:18-19; Isa. 61:1-2, yet the people
refused to hear or see the truth. This is still happening today! People scoff at the
message of the cross and of salvation through the blood of Jesus, 1 Cor. 1:18. Even though
they have the evidence of many changed lives and the conviction within their own hearts,
they call the message outdated, confrontational, narrow minded, etc. Whatever the excuse,
men are still going to Hell rather than simply receiving the claims of the Lord Jesus.)
(Ill. Ill the Brazen Serpent - Num. 21:4-9. Many in Israel were bitten
by serpents and were dying, however, one look at the serpent on the pole brought healing
and life. I am sure there were some who refused to look. Despite the evidence in the lives
of others, despite the marvelous healing power of the serpent, some without a doubt
refused to look and live. Things are no different when it comes to the Gospel. All around
are those who have been made whole by simple faith in the Lord Jesus, yet many love their
sin more that their own lives and refuse to look to Jesus. (Ill. I know there are some who
say they have been healed who still live like they are sick. Believe the Bible not the
lives of a few sorry Christians! Do not allow some pet sin to take you to Hell! Hear today
that you can be saved by your good looks - Isa. 45:22!)
I. The Presentation Of The King
II. The Purpose Of The King
III. The Prejudice Against The King
IV. V. 44-50 THE PROMISE OF THE KING
(Ill. Even though most rejected Him, He gave certain, special promises
to all who would believe on His Name.)
A. V. 44-45 The Promise Of Revelation - In these
verses, Jesus promises those who receive Him that they can see God. May I remind you that
Jesus is God in the flesh, John 1:1; 14. He came to reveal the Father to us, Heb. 1:3, and
if you have seen Him, you have seen the Father, John 14:9. If any man wants to meet God,
He will do so only through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ - 1 Tim. 2:5; John 14:6.
Many look for God in various places, when He will only be found in one person: The Lord
Jesus Christ!
B. V. 46 The Promise Of Release - Jesus also
promised all those who believed on Him that they would be freed from the darkness of sin.
I want you to know this morning that Jesus and Jesus alone has the power to break the
chains of sin! He can any sinner, save him by His grace, give him a new life and set him
free forever! (Ill. Rom. 6:14; John 8:36) Jesus specializes in taking ruined, broken lives
and renewing them by His power, 2 Cor. 5:17! Jesus will set you free!
C. V. 47-50 The Promise Of Rescue - He further
promises all those who receive Him that He will deliver them from the wrath and
condemnation of Almighty God. When you receive Jesus by faith, you are delivered from the
penalty on your sins. You are taken from death into life and have all the condemnation
removed from you, Rom. 5:9; Rom. 8:1; John 5:24; Rom. 4:7-8!!**) Glory to God! This is
shouting material!
Conc: The Jews can say what they will, Jesus is still the King! Men
today can do what they please, Jesus is still the King! Folk can live as they please, but
Jesus is still the King and He will have the last word! The only question that remains
this morning is this, "Is Jesus your King?" Do you know Him as your personal
Lord and Savior? All I am asking is this, "Are you saved?" With all the proof
that we have been given, with all the Scriptures we have looked at today, how could anyone
not understand that Jesus is indeed the King? If He is, then you will either face Him in
an altar of repentance where you will come to Him by faith and be saved, or you will face
Him at a throne of judgment where you will be forever condemned. What will it be? The King
is in the building today and He is here for you. Will you come to Him this morning?
