We open our Bibles and turn in the word of God to John 12. John 12. We're going to read verses 20 through 43 of this chapter. 20 through 43, so we'll begin reading at verse 20. John 12. And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast. The same came, therefore, to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew, and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except the corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. And now in verses 26 or 27, sorry, we have to read one more. 27 through 33 will be our text tonight. Any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am, there shall also my servant be. Any man serve me, him will my father honor. Now begins our text. Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour, for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven saying, I have both glorified it and will glorify it again. The people, therefore, that stood by and heard it said that it thundered. Others said an angel spake to him. Jesus answered and said, this voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out, and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." This, he said, signifying what death he should die. And that's where our text is going to end. The people answered him, we have heard out of the law that Christ abideth forever. And how sayest thou the son of man must be lifted up? Who is this son of man? And 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. 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. But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him. that the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report, and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, he had blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Isaias when he saw his glory and spake of him. Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also many believed on him, but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. This far we read God's word tonight. As I mentioned, our text is going to be found in verses 27 through 33 of this chapter, an account that deals with God speaking to Jesus from heaven. It was Tuesday, the third day of the Passion Week. This was the last day of that week that Jesus appeared publicly in the temple to instruct the people. Wednesday and Thursday, Christ would spend with his own disciples, giving them instruction. And then on Thursday night, Jesus would be betrayed and taken captive. During the course of his disputations with the Pharisees and Sadducees on Tuesday, a few Greek men, certain Greek men, came to Jesus, a disciple named Philip. These Greeks were proselytes. That is, they were converts to the Jewish faith. But they were a special kind of proselyte. These Greeks were proselytes called the proselytes of the gate. And that was a certain kind of proselyte. Those who, although accepting the essentials of the Jewish faith, Nevertheless, were not able to worship in the synagogues because they would not be circumcised. These men had heard of Jesus and his teachings now, and inquired of Philip if they could see Jesus. Philip, in turn, went and talked to another disciple named Andrew, and the two of them together went to Jesus and told him about these certain Greek proselytes that wanted to talk with him and see him. John does not inform us that Jesus said okay to that, that he indeed allowed these Greeks to come and see him. But we can assume that they did. And when John says in verse 23, that Jesus was speaking to them, the them presumably refers to these men, and of course, a number of others that stood by as well. The discourse preceding our text tonight speaks in figurative language concerning the passion and death of Jesus on the cross, and then of his subsequent resurrection as well. But having spoken these words, Jesus was reminded, of course, of his impending death on the cross. It was very near now. In three days, Christ would have to suffer under the eternal wrath of God against our sins. Being reminded of that, He now speaks the words that we will be considering tonight, beginning in verse 27. All of this is included, of course, in the one discourse that Jesus was holding at this particular time. In other words, we're taking a few verses out of this discourse and we'll be considering those verses, but those verses really stand in connection with the entire discourse of Jesus at this point. In the account before us tonight, however, Jesus not only reveals an amazing truth about the cross, but we read actually of God's intentions in that cross. And we read of God's intentions by means of the very voice of God himself as he speaks in this passage. At the cross, the judgment of this world takes place. And the judgment of this world takes place in order that God might glorify His name through the cross. Those two points now stand on the foreground in the verses that we're considering tonight. And these we are also called to remember concerning the death of Jesus Christ in particular. After all, the title of our series is this, In Memory of Christ's Death. We remember what Christ has done for us on the cross. The event before us was a part of the suffering that Jesus bore while he was betrayed, before he was betrayed and executed on the cross. So we'll consider words very similar tonight that Jesus spoke in the Garden of Gethsemane itself. We consider the impending judgment of the cross tonight. The impending judgment of the cross. And in the first place, we want to consider Jesus' troubled soul. Then secondly, God's reassuring voice. And then finally, the believer's joyful response. Jesus was a man. As a man, we are told in the scriptures Christ was able to suffer, being tempted, without sin. Although Jesus is the eternal Son of God, who by means of his power as a Son was able to endure suffering, We may not lightly dismiss the suffering that Jesus was experiencing at this point in his life. Jesus was a man, and he could hurt, and he could fear, and he could dread as much as any man. He was made like unto his brothers in all things that he might be able to comfort us even in the midst of our suffering because he experienced that as well in his life. Jesus reveals that to you and to me in verse 27 of our text tonight. He says there, 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. Father, glorify thy name. Jesus here does not address the people around him in this discourse, but right in the middle of this discourse, Jesus addresses God directly. He calls upon God as a father. addressing him aloud so that others might hear what he is saying to his father. Jesus' soul was troubled. That means it was deeply stirred and agitated. And that reveals to you and to me, people of God, what Jesus felt in his soul as that darkness of the cross came upon him and began to envelop him. Man's soul is his inner self. That is, it is his mind and it is his desire. And there, within Christ's thoughts and desires, within his soul, Jesus experienced the intensity of what lay ahead of him in the cross. He was perfectly aware, remember, of what the cross entailed of him. It was not the ordinary death that Christ was going to die at the cross or on the cross. Not an ordinary death that befalls a man or a woman when they die. It's not our death. It wasn't like our death. Who have had the terror of death removed from us by means of the forgiveness of sins and the promise of life everlasting. The terror is gone for us. Neither was his death as that of the wicked man who in the blindness of his unbelief refuses to admit the horrible terror that awaits him after he dies. Jesus was fully aware of what confronted him. Jesus was going to die bearing the sin and guilt of his church. his people from the beginning of time to the end of time. The curse and the damnation of that sin was going to strike him and was going to crush the life out of Jesus. The physical pains of death were but a small part of what he was soon to experience as he hung there on the cross. was not merely, you know, the thorns that were pressed into his brow, or the stripes that were laid across his back, or the driving of those nails through his hands that troubled Jesus so much. It was not merely the rejection of men and their despising Him. It was not the fact that He was going to hang there on the cross and listen to men jeer at Him that really agitated Him at this point. On the cross, Jesus would be crushed under the eternal wrath of God against our sins, the sins of the world. now that hour had come. That death loomed fully ahead of Jesus in his consciousness. The frightfulness, the utter horror, the inconceivable dread of the hellish agonies that were going to lay upon his shoulders, Jesus was already beginning to experience here just a few days before his death. So yes, Jesus' soul was shaken at this particular point. So the question, what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. Jesus knew what he had to do. He knew that it was for this hour, that is now the hour of his death, that he was sent into this world. His whole life, after all, had centered in this particular hour. This is why, after all, he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And what Jesus says here at this point does remind us, doesn't it, somewhat of what he prayed when he was in the Garden of Gethsemane. In that garden he prayed, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me. But it would be easy for us to think, people of God, that Jesus now, in the weakness of his human flesh, was shrinking away somewhat from what lay ahead of him on the cross. That he was now almost on the verge of backing out of that purpose for which he was set by God into this world. Father, save me from this hour. Jesus was afraid now all of a sudden of that death upon the cross. Save me from this coming death. That's not the case. Quite obviously, that's not the case. Although the way our versions translate these words of Jesus is indeed a possible translation, I prefer a different translation of these words. This makes the whole phrase that we have before us a question. that Jesus himself answers. What shall I say? Shall I say, Father, save me from this hour? But it was for this reason that I had come into this world. So he answers himself. What can I say? Father saved me from this hour at this particular point. I was sent here to suffer and die on the cross. This is the deliverance that God has promised His people for generations, for ages already. This is the promise of God for His people from all eternity. Yes, I'm troubled. I'm extremely fearful. I'm agitated in heart and soul. My death frightens me beyond all measure. But what can I say, O Father? Can I say at this point, save me from this hour? And then Jesus answers, no. For this cause came I to this hour. Surely I cannot ask of thee, Father, to save me from my death on the cross, because this is exactly the reason that I am come into this world. The Messiah has been promised by God to his people as a deliverer and as a savior. My soul is troubled, but I'm not going to shrink now in fear from this hour. And that's why I'm standing here right now on this day, just a few days away from my death. And with that determination, Jesus could now say to God, Father, glorify Thy name. I am ready. Father, now glorify Thy name in me. Now, before proceeding at this point to what God said in His response to Jesus' prayer, we want to take a look at what actually was going to take place at that cross. Jesus speaks here of His suffering and His troubles, so He's fully aware of what is going to take place at that cross. And He says that a little later on now in the passage that we consider, too, in verse 31. Now, at this particular point, In this coming hour, now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. Most often when we speak of the judgment of God, we speak of the judgment day, don't we? A day that's going to take place at the end of time in which every man and woman and child is going to be judged before God. Jesus is saying this, now is the judgment of this world going to take place. Right now, it's going to take place at my cross. God's judgment, beloved saints, is the meeting out of his justice. God's justice must be satisfied. And those who have offended the most high majesty of God They must be punished. Everyone who has offended the Most High Majesty of God must be and will be punished. That happened at the cross. On the other hand, those who are innocent of offending God, must be declared also righteous and innocent before God. They must be vindicated. That too took place at the cross. Jesus was fully aware, though consciously troubled, that he was going to die on the cross in order to satisfy God's justice against sin. That's why he went to the cross. At the cross, the reprobate man of this world was judged. and is judged. His sin is fully exposed before God. In all of its terror, in all of its horror, sin is exposed at the cross. Wicked reprobates stumble at the cross of Jesus Christ. The cross is an offense to the wicked man. Even today, the reprobate wicked stumble at the cross of Jesus Christ. Peter talks about that in his epistle, 1 Peter. We read there in 1 Peter 2, verses seven and eight, unto you therefore, which believe Christ is precious. But unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed. The word of the cross serves only to harden fallen man in his sin. That fallen man, of course, that is destined to destruction. It only serves to harden him. He's offended at the cross of Jesus Christ. And when that cross is preached today, too, the cross is a savor of death unto death in them that refuse to believe. The wicked world, therefore, is judged by God already in the cross, is unworthy of a place in eternal glory. And that final judgment is not going to reveal that. Not at that time already. It's already revealed in the cross. The final judgment only makes it public. God's wrath is revealed against the wicked and his judgment is secured at the cross. But the elect were judged at the cross too. After all, we're just as guilty of sin as anyone else is. And at the cross, that justice of God has to be satisfied. Punishment has to be meted out against those who have offended the Most High Majesty of God. And we were judged at the cross. At the cross, God poured out His wrath. against you and me on account of our offenses. At the cross, that was poured out on you and me. In other words, God's justice against His elect people was carried out there at the cross. But instead of pouring out His fury and His wrath against you and me personally, which every one of us sitting here deserves, Instead of doing that, God leveled His wrath against Jesus Christ, who substituted Himself in our place there at the cross. Christ went to the cross as the representative, the legal representative of His elect people. And there God meted out His judgment, His condemnation on us by punishing Jesus Christ for what you and I have done. judgment took place at the cross. It's at the cross that you and I have been declared innocent and righteous in the sight of God and therefore worthy of a place in eternal glory with God. At the cross, judgment took place. All of this took place as Christ was nailed to the tree and that tree was lifted up or suspended between heaven and earth. Notice verses 32 and 33 of our text tonight. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. Then John makes a commentary on that. This, Christ said, signifying what death he should die. Now we're going to come back to verse 32 a little bit later on. But John calls attention to the fact that Christ was lifted up on a cross. This signified what kind of death, that was death by crucifixion. And certainly death by crucifixion is a symbol of God's curse. You see, a person that hung on a cross was done so purposely, and everyone knew that. The Old Testament even said that, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. With a cross, that person was suspended between heaven and the earth, which meant that man didn't want that person, and the gods, because it was a Roman death, didn't want that person either. He was rejected of man, and Although in the case of Christ, he was never rejected of God, although he was forsaken of God, rejected of the God. So that person that hung there on a cross was cursed. That's exactly what Jesus experienced as he hung on the cross too. God's damnation, God's curse against our sins. No wonder. Jesus' soul was troubled at this time. That's what he faced on the cross, the curse of God against sin. But as a result, God's judgment of his elect people at the cross is now that of righteousness and innocence because Christ took his curse upon himself for us. People of God, It was that curse of God upon our sin that agitated the soul of Jesus as he hung there. And yet he was ready and he was willing to suffer and die to take away that burden of our sin. And we can fully well understand why it was at this point that Jesus says, I'm ready to go forward. Father, glorify thy name. It's not often that God spoke aloud for people to hear on earth, especially not during the ministry of Jesus. God had done that only a couple of other times during the earthly ministry of Jesus. He had done it at the time of his baptism, God spoke, and he did it in the years of Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration. They were able to hear that voice of God too. Now we find that He does this once again, and it was an excellent time, of course, that God now would speak to His Son aloud. And when He spoke to His Son, it was words of reassurance and comfort. We read in verses 28 and 29, Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, my name, and will glorify it again. The people, therefore, that stood by and heard it said that it thundered. Others said an angel spake to him." When John records that a voice came from heaven, he means, of course, it was heard from the sky. Now that voice actually came forth from heaven. But as we well know, when we speak of heaven, we always speak of heaven as being up. And that voice of God, though coming from his throne in heaven, nevertheless was heard in the sky. And that's why some of them, when they heard that voice, they didn't understand what it said, but it thundered, it thundered. And that in itself, of course, was quite an occurrence because after all, the day was just a normal day. It wasn't raining, it wasn't stormy at the time. There was a sudden roll of thunder completely out of place. Others said, no, no, no, no, no. That wasn't thunder that we heard. We heard a voice. It must have been the voice of an angel because we couldn't understand what that voice was saying. But we heard a voice coming out of heaven. In either case, however, the people could not distinguish what the voice said. But Jesus did understand what that voice said. It was the voice of God. It was the voice of His Father. And He was addressing Jesus in particular. And as I said, that voice reassured Jesus Christ that everything that Jesus had done in his life and in his ministry up to this point had glorified God's name and that God would glorify it one more time again in that life of Jesus. Notice that God says to Jesus, I have glorified my name. God did not mean by that, when he said that to Jesus, that I have always glorified my name. Throughout all of history, I've glorified my name. I've glorified my name from the day that this world began. And every event that has taken place in this world, after all, has glorified my name. I mean, that truth is true, I mean, obviously. God has always glorified his name because God has always performed exactly in every event that has taken place throughout history from the beginning of time and will take place until the end of time. God has exactly planned and carried out those events in order to glorify his name. But what God meant to say to Jesus is this. I have glorified my name, Jesus, in everything you have done so far in your life and in your work. Words of assurance. Everything that Christ had accomplished up to this point in his life as our Savior had pleased his heavenly Father. I come to do thy will, O God. And God's reassurance was this, you have done my will. And through your work and through your life, my name has been glorified. Up to this point, therefore, God had glorified himself in the person of the very son, Jesus Christ. He was well pleased with what Christ had done. But God adds this encouraging word too. I will glorify My name again. Christ had said, Father, glorify Thy name. And now God responds, I will glorify My name. Maybe we have to understand that term glorify a little bit. The term glorify means to reveal oneself in all of his splendor and in all of his goodness. So when God glorifies his name, he reveals, so that others can see now, he reveals his wondrous, his marvelous virtues. And when He reveals those virtues to others, then others are able to see the beauty of our God. He unveils Himself for others to see His virtues. His virtues of holiness and justice. His virtues of love and mercy and grace. And all of these had been revealed already. in Jesus' life. I mean, throughout His ministry, throughout His work, Christ as the very express image of God, His Father, after all, Christ was the Son of God, had revealed to those around Him God's justice and holiness and love and mercy and grace and the attributes of God. So Christ, in the very person of Christ, God had unveiled His glory, you see, for others to see. And now God is saying to Christ, and I will be glorified in you again. My name is going to be glorified in you again. That's what happened at the cross and in Christ's exaltation. At the cross, God would reveal his justice and his holiness. At the cross, God also would reveal his love and his mercy. Beautiful, as the psalmist speaks of it, that mercy and truth kiss each other at the cross. All revealed there at the cross of Jesus Christ. And isn't that true, too? In Christ's subsequent exaltation, the power and the sovereignty of God was revealed in him. Isn't that true? And as a result of that, you and I have been made to see the virtues of God himself. And as God's people, we begin to extol those virtues of God, and God is glorified. He's glorified in the very praises of his people that have seen him in all of his goodness and beauty. Well, God's work is seen in exactly what Christ has accomplished for his people. And you know, it's not merely the name of Jesus Christ that you and I extol. We go beyond that. We go beyond that. God himself, our heavenly father, not just Jesus' father, but our heavenly father, who has loved us from eternity with so great a love, that He sacrificed His only begotten Son, the Son of His love, on the cross for us in order to justify you and me and to sanctify us. God glorified His name in the cross, not just Jesus' name. God glorified His name there at the cross and in Christ's exaltation. In reality, that is what Christ explains for us as well, too, in verse 32 now of our text. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. If I be lifted up from the earth, and that is not a matter of doubt, as if perhaps Christ would not be lifted up from the earth, Greek condition that's given us there is a condition of reality. In other words, if I be lifted up and I will of assurity, I will be lifted up. I will be lifted up from the earth. Now, John, of course, takes note of that, and as we said before, makes a commentary on that. He says that's signified. Didn't say this is what Jesus meant by it, but it's signified what Jesus said, what manner of death he would die. He would be lifted up on a cross, but that's not what Jesus intended to teach. If I be lifted up from the earth to the highest state of honor and glory, that took place, when Christ ascended into heaven and sat down at God's right hand. You want to see the glory of God? You'll see it in the person of Christ as he sits there at God's right hand. I'm reminded somewhat of Revelation 12, where John sees that glory of Christ in a vision of God. In Revelation 12, verse 5, we read, and she, and that word she there refers to the church, and the church brought forth a man-child, that was Christ, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron, and her child was caught up, lifted up, caught up. unto God and to his throne in heaven. And then we read, beginning in verse 7, and there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels and prevailed not. Neither was their place found anymore in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world. He was cast out into the earth, and His angels were cast out with Him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of His Christ. For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." Now take a look at what Jesus says. If I be lifted up, I shall cast out the prince of the world. That's Satan. In other words, Christ won the victory at the cross. At the cross, he crushed the head of Satan, the prince of this world, and he destroyed the power of Satan over you and over me. In His judgment there at the cross, Christ was victorious over the world and victorious over our enemies. Satan was defeated and he was cast out into this world when Christ now ascended into heaven and He took His rightful throne at God's right hand. Christ was glorified. And in His glorification, God was glorified. Now, Christ adds this, from my throne in heaven, of course, I will draw all men unto myself. Son of God, as he sits at God's right hand in heaven, draws all men unto him. Now, obviously, that does not mean that Christ makes salvation available for every man and only a few will accept him. so that he desires to draw every man to him in heaven, but there are those that won't go to heaven because they've refused to go to heaven. It means that Christ draws all manner or all kinds of men unto himself. Men from all nations of this world, poor men, rich men, kings, servants, Jews, Gentiles, I will draw all men to me in heaven as I sit there at the throne of my God." And he's done that, hasn't he? Throughout the whole period of the New Dispensation, Christ has done that. You and I who live at the end of this dispensation are witnesses exactly to what Christ says at this point. I will draw all men unto me. Look at the gathering of the church that has taken place in the past couple thousand years. Amazing, amazing what Christ has drawn to himself from all of the nations of this world and from every class of people and every race of people. The white horse of the gospel. has trodden underfoot all nations under heaven. And through this Christ has drawn unto himself the innumerable throng of those whom God has chosen from all eternity. And even now Christ continues to draw men unto himself. That's been the plan of God. all eternity. That's God's plan. That's how he has chosen to glorify his name in this world. Now, the knowledge of that brings to the believer's heart and to his lips joyful praise. No, people of God, you can look through all of the verses of our text tonight and you won't find that those people then brought joyful praise to Christ when he spoke these things or they heard the voice of God. You don't read that there. So it's not in our text. But tell me, what does this glorious gospel bring to our lips? when we hear it. You see, God has called you and me out of darkness and into His marvelous light in order that we might show forth His praises. And as I said, that's how God has chosen to glorify His name in all of the earth, through the praises of His people. We are saved at the cross and that Christ even right now works in our hearts, drawing us to him is a wonder of God's grace. What a wonder he performs in us. And it's for that reason too that Jesus could say one more thing yet in verse 30. Jesus answered and said, this voice came not because of me, but for your sakes." So that hearing, that voice of God, we might be reassured, and we said this last week in connection with John, the purpose of his epistle or his gospel account, We can be reassured that this Jesus Christ is the very Son of God whom God has sent into this world as the promised Messiah to save us from our sins. No doubt about it. And we joy in that reassuring word of our God. We heard the voice of God speak to His very Son at this point. What reassurance that gives to you and to me And we give praise, don't we? We do that in our songs, when we sing together, we give praise. We do that in our prayers, individually, as families, in the midst of the church of Jesus Christ, we praise our God every day. The hymn. When I survey the wondrous cross, where my Savior died for me. My heart is filled with praise. My heart is filled with thanksgiving. And in that gratitude, we cannot help but utter forth those praises to the name of our God. I will glorify my name, Jehovah, ever faithful in his love to his people, the unchanging God of heaven and earth. God's name is on our lips and His name is glorified in all of the earth. People of God, may we extol that name of God tonight as we sit in His house. But may we extol that name of God every day as we go about our lives in this present world. Amen. We are thankful unto Thee, Father, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation that he has earned for us. And we confess before thee we're not deserving of that. We didn't merit that in any way. All of thy grace may indeed thy praises be upon our lips. That every day of our lives we might follow after thee, the God of heaven and earth, whose name is glorified even in the death and in the exaltation of our Savior Jesus Christ. We thank Thee for Him. We thank Thee for the work that He has done for us. May we carry that Gospel with us, Father, in our own hearts. We ask these things for Christ's sake. Amen.