We are in the Gospel of John, John chapter 12. John chapter 12, verses 35 to 43 is our focus. Jesus as the light. We'll begin reading at verse 27. And I'll read to the end of the chapter, but focusing verses 35 to 43. Dear God's holy word. Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven. I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again. The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said an angel has spoken to him. Jesus answered, this voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world. Now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So the crowd answered him, we have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the son of man must be lifted up? Who is the son of man? So Jesus said to them, the light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light. When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, so that the words spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled. Lord, who has believed what he heard from us? and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore, they could not believe, for again Isaiah said, He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them. Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke of Him. Nevertheless, many, even of the authorities, believed in Him. But for fear of the Pharisees, they did not confess it so that they would not be put out of the synagogue. So they love the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. And Jesus cried out and said, Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me and whoever sees me, sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him, for I do not come to judge the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge. The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has Himself given me a commandment, what to say and what to speak. And I know that His commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me. Thus far the reading of God's holy word. The grass withers, the flower fails, but the Word of our God endures forever. Let's pray for God's blessing. Our Heavenly Father, we pray with thanksgiving for your word that you have given it to us. And we thank you, Father, that Jesus is. that light, and in Your Word we see light. And so, Father, grant to us illumined hearts and minds that we would see the light of the Gospel this day, that You would draw us ever closer to Christ, that You would grant to us faith even now. And so, Father, grant us faith, strengthen our faith, be with us now, bless each of us, and bless He who brings Your Word that we would hear what You have for us. We do pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus talked about the Son of Man being lifted up. In other words, last time we focused on His death on the cross, Him being lifted up by means of the cross. And in the midst of that, we also talked about Jesus' troubled soul. Because it would be on the cross that He would not merely face a humanly painful death. but he would take upon himself our sin. And because of that, he would bear the wrath of God in our place in full. Christ came to pay the penalty for our sin in full. And of course, the crowd does not get it. How can Jesus say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Because they're saying, I thought He was going to remain forever. That's what the law says. And so they ask, who is the Son of Man? Jesus will again talk about the world's blindness and hardness, the hardness of the human heart. But His answer is that He is the light. and that the light is still among them for a little while longer. And while they have that light shining around them clearly, they are called to believe in the light. See, into the darkness of this world came the light of the world, namely Jesus Christ. He was the light in the sense that he brought the message of salvation from God the Father. And he spent the last three years preaching the message of salvation and shining as that light. Verses 35 and 36 reports for us Jesus' last final public appeal to God's ancient people, Israel. Notice verse 36, it said, He departed and hid Himself from them. And He wouldn't be seen publicly again until His trial and crucifixion. So, this is Christ, you might say, last public sermon. Now often, right, we like to encapsulate the last words that someone spoke. How much more the last words spoken by Christ. publicly, they aren't exactly the last words, but the last words before he goes and hides before his trial. These words really sum up the gospel of John, and they sum up the message of Christ, they sum up the message of the gospel. The light is among you, verse 35, for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light. Let darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he's going. And so, three things for us to look at this morning. First of all, that call to believe in the light and walk in that light. And then secondly, we'll talk about the hardness of the human heart. You might say, well, Pastor, you've spoken about this already a number of times throughout, John, and that's true. But so is Jesus. And so what am I going to do? I'm going to tell you what Jesus said yet again here. And then we'll talk about the fear of man. It's something that every single one of us, at least to some degree, and in some occasions, faces. And so from chapter 1, John has used light to describe Jesus, right? As you think back to all that we've looked at, light and Jesus as the light has been brought forth a number of times back in chapter 1. Verses 6 to 9, it says, there was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to bear witness about the light that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. And so John the Baptist's task was to bear witness to the light that was coming, namely Jesus. Jesus is the light. And also in chapter 3, verse 19, it said, and this is the judgment that light has come into the world. And the people loved the darkness rather than light because their works were evil. Right? Christ is the light. He came into the world. He was rejected because people loved the darkness instead. They loved their sin instead. And light in the Old Testament scripture was used as a symbol for God. Psalm 27 verse 1 says, the Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? So Jesus, claimed to be a light shining in the world, teaches that he is the one that makes God known. He is the image of the invisible God that has come into the world and shines forth with the good news. He is light. himself. For in him, Colossians says, Colossians 2 verse 9, for in him the whole fullness of the deity dwells bodily. Christ is the light that came to show us clearly God and to show us our sin and to show us the way of salvation. Men didn't know God. Jesus comes and he shines light upon men. Now those who are in darkness have the light of the knowledge of the glory of Christ, or the glory of God in the face of Christ. So it's in following Christ's light that those who are in darkness are led to God. But Jesus tells us, tells the crowd here, that the light will soon be taken away. The light is among you for a little while longer. Thus, there's an urgent call, isn't there, to believe. The light is here now. And it's going to be here just a little bit longer. What will you do with it? The call was, I'm here a little bit. Believe on me now while you still have the opportunity. While you have the light, believe in the light that you may become sons of light, says verse 36. And they were called to walk while they have the light, lest darkness overtake them. You see, to reject the light is to be plunged into even greater darkness. The one who has seen the light, and then who rejects the light, who suppresses the light, who closes his eyes to the light, piles around for himself even more darkness. And that is exactly what the Pharisees were doing in the crowds. That's the point. The light had shone, and what are they doing? They know. They knew that Jesus really had given sight to the man born blind. They knew that Jesus really had were undeniable facts. That man was dead, that man was in the two, and Jesus called him forth. They saw it, or at least, not all of them saw it, they at least saw the effects. The light was there. But they still rejected the light of Christ. They even wanted to kill him. You see, they preferred the darkness in which they exalted themselves. The result was the darkness overtook them and they became even more hardened to God than they were at the beginning. They rejected the light and became, or moved into greater darkness. This is important to think about. Because while it's true that sometimes those who hear the Gospel and reject it are brought to faith at a later point, sometimes the Spirit, you see, years later, will bring to recollection something of the Gospel that was spoken earlier on. But there is a warning here to those who have heard the Gospel, who've seen the light, who've heard the good news, Jesus is saying here, the more you reject that light, the greater the darkness you'll be in, and the harder it will be to believe. So don't you dare reject the light. Believe while it's here. While you have the light, believe the light and become sons of the light. Because if you turn from the light, you will be plunged into greater darkness." And what a gracious and wonderful invitation these words are. The Savior is calling them to believe while the light is still there, because His departure would take that light from the world. And so he leaves a gospel offer to become children of God by believing in the light. And when Jesus said these things, notice that He departed and hid Himself from them. The time comes when the gospel is no longer available to believe. This might come at death, which can happen at any time, right? When someone dies, too late to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ then. Now is the time of salvation. There will come a time, right, when the gospel will be removed from particular people. or it will come at the return of Christ. At that point it will be too late as well. Now when will that return be? I don't know. That return will be like a thief in the night. Right children, what does that mean when it says Jesus will come like a thief in the night? Do you know when the thief is going to come? No. The point is we're not going to know when Jesus is going to come. And when He comes, it'll be too late to believe. Or the time might come when hearts have become so hardened through unbelief that they'll no longer be able to believe at all. And so if you've heard the Gospel message, perhaps there's a temptation at times, right? Maybe even more so for young people. There's a temptation when you hear the Gospel message to think, Well, I'm only 16. I've got years before I have to believe in Christ, so why don't I right now take the time to enjoy, take the time to focus on me, take the time to party, take the time to live for self, because I will have time later to believe. You see, Jesus is dealing with that kind of a mentality. And He says, while you hear the Gospel now, while you have the light now, Don't say later. Don't harden your hearts. Now's the time to believe while you have the light. Believe the light and walk in the light. Don't push it off. Don't say later. There's an urgent call and appeal here. Repent and turn to Christ. J.C. Ryle said this, the throne of grace will not always be standing. It will be removed one day, and the throne of judgment will be set up in its place. The door of salvation by faith in Christ will not always be open. It will be shot one day forever, and the number of gods elect will be completed. The fountain for all sin and uncleanness will not always be accessible. The way to it will one day be barred. and there will remain nothing but the lake that burns with fire and brimstone." So Jesus says, now. The light is here a little while longer. Now. How much longer do you have the light? How much longer? We don't know, do we? We believe now. And there's a challenge for us in the church who do believe. Since the time is short, Let's go and spread that good news. Let's not find ways to hide that light under a basket, but let's find ways to broadcast and reflect that light. Tell your neighbor what Christ has done before Christ returns. Sometimes I think as a church we can think that it's the pastor's task to evangelize. Yes, the pastor is called to evangelize. But that's not the task of being pastor. That's the task of the church. Right? We are to go forth. You, as a believer, have a duty and a high calling. In fact, sometimes in theology, right, we like to talk about, we ought to talk about the office of believer. Sometimes we think, well, we have officers in the church. We have pastors, right? We have deacons. We have elders. Well, in one sense, we ought to understand that even just being a believer is not a mere thing. You have a calling. You have an office as believer to be a light in the world. And so go show Christ to others while there's still time. Jesus' final plea here was straightforward. The light was before them a little longer. And they were to believe in that light. But they refused to believe. Verse 37 says, though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him. He had done so many signs. He had raised Lazarus. The light was there clearly. And they still didn't believe. Well, why wouldn't they believe? I mean, think about it. The Jews back then were in a very privileged position. The light came in the flesh and dwelt among them. In him was light, John 1, 4. And the word became flesh and dwelt among them, John 1, 14. The light was there. All the miracles, all the teachings, the raising of the dead, including Lazarus. They saw the light that was clear. He had come from God. Brothers and sisters, we err greatly if we think that seeing wonderful miracles will ever convert souls. The Jews here, the crowds here are proof. The problem wasn't that the light wasn't shining clearly. The problem was their hearts were cold and dead. They suppressed the truth in unrighteousness. They refused to believe the truth that was right before their eyes. Nothing, nothing short of a new heart and a new nature implanted within by the work of the Holy Spirit will ever make us real disciples of Christ. You see, not merely a miracle on the outside is needed. What's needed is a miracle on the inside. A new heart, a new nature implanted within by the work of the Spirit. Nothing else will ever make us real disciples of Christ except for the work of the Spirit within. And we've been seeing that throughout John's Gospel. The evidence of the light is there, but the eyes willfully close. ears willfully plug up. It's kind of like children when they're playing with each other. Hey, tell me something! I can't hear you! I can't hear you! Right? This is what people do with the light. I can't see you. I can't hear you. They suppress it. Sometimes we wonder today why so many refuse to believe Perhaps there's a loved one that you have been praying for, that you have been sharing the Gospel with, and you say they just don't get it. Brothers and sisters, if the crowds would not hear Jesus with all the miracles that He did, it's not really a surprise that people don't hear you and people don't hear me. The disciple is not greater than his Master. In fact, isn't the world's stubborn and obstinate unbelief one of the many proofs that the Bible is true? Jesus said this was going to happen. This does raise some questions for us, though, doesn't it? First, if these Jews who had such a light and a testimony before them refused to believe, what hope is there for us today? Right? Do we look at this and say, Why should I bother? What's the use? What's the good? And second, if God has gone to such pains to send his only son to offer salvation to the world only to be broadly rejected, does that somehow suggest that God has failed? The answer is no to that second question. And is there hope today? Yes. There is, but not in you or I. Now John must have had these questions in mind as he refers back to Isaiah 53. See, the Jews did not believe in him, verse 37, and he explains, verse 38, they did not believe so that the words spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled. Lord, who has believed what he heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Now, this is referring back to Isaiah 53. And Isaiah 53, that's a famous chapter in Isaiah. You're probably familiar with it. And that chapter foretells of the death and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In fact, stepping back from Isaiah 53 to chapter 52, verse 13, it says this, Behold, my servant shall act wisely. He shall be high and lifted up and shall be exalted. And then you, of course, know Isaiah 53, verses 5 and 6, which says, But he, the one who was lifted up and exalted, But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace. And with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way. And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Ron's point is that the same Old Testament prophecy that foretells of the cross, of the crucifixion of Jesus, also tells of the rejection of Jesus as well. Isaiah 53.1 is what Jesus quotes here. Isaiah 53-1 says, Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? This is the rejection that Jesus experienced even on the way to the cross. It was told in Isaiah. God said it was going to happen. So the prophecy of Isaiah prophesying the death of Christ also prophesied that Christ would be rejected, and Jesus is saying it's fulfilled right here today. Now this is something for us to think about for a bit too, because if Isaiah 53 prophesies the rejection of Jesus, that would seem to indicate that his rejection, that the rejection of Jesus is somehow part of the plan of God that God predestined for these Jews to disbelieve, that God is sovereign over this. Now there are many who object to the thought of God's sovereignty in this, but let me remind you of what the Bible clearly teaches. First of all, the general statement in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 11, that in Him we have obtained an inheritance. having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things, not some things, not most things, all things according to the counsel of His will. All things work according to His plan. Proverbs 16, 4 even says this, the Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of destruction. Our Westminster Shorter Catechism rightly says, asking in Question 7, what are the decrees of God? The decrees of God are His eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His will, whereby for His own glory He hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass. God has foreordained whatsoever, everything that comes to pass. Paul in Romans 9 speaks right also says in that chapter that speaks of God saying does he not have the right does the potter not have the right to use one lump of clay for an honorable purpose and another lump of clay for a dishonorable purpose so God not only ordains predestines those whom he is going to save It's also within the counsel of God's will. Those He's not going to save. Those He will condemn. Those He will judge. In fact, notice what our passage clearly says after what we just read in verse 38. Verse 39 says, Therefore they could not believe. In light of Isaiah's 700-year-old prophecy, the Pharisees as a whole could not believe in Jesus. Their unbelief, you see, didn't defeat God's purpose. Rather, their unbelief even achieved the purpose of God. John goes on to quote another passage in Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 6. So, verses 39 and 40. quoting or referring back to Isaiah 6 is this therefore they could not believe for again Isaiah said he has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart lest they see with their eyes and understand with their heart and turn and I would heal them notice The sovereignty of God clearly taught. God has acted to blind and harden the people for a reason, lest they see with their eyes and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them. God's judgment sometimes entails the hardening of a people against the gospel offered. Now, they're hardening themselves, So don't misunderstand that. And this is part of his judgment, as we've already been seeing. Reject the light, and what does God sometimes do? And you're going to be hardened to it. And I know looking at this kind of stuff is hard to think about and hard to grasp, and the all the intricacies and how these things work out, but there are a number of things that I want to point out and have us grasp in this regard and help us understand the sovereignty of God, even in something as this. The Jews' rejection of Jesus was part of God's salvation plan for his people. You might say, what do you mean? How? But as the Jews, and especially the Jewish leaders, reject Jesus, this is going to lead to what? Christ's crucifixion and His death. Right? They rejected the light so much that they did what? They killed Christ! Did that happen by accident? Was that not part of God's plan? No, what if everybody believed? And how would Christ come to the cross? And how would He have died for His people? God's sovereignty is involved even in this. Because of their rejection, Jesus would go to the cross. His crowds would send him to the cross and they would later cry out, right? Remember that? Crucify him! Crucify him! But do you see what God is doing here? They are working wickedly against Christ. not against their own wills, according to their own wills. It's not that they're being forced to do something they don't want to do. They are responsible for their actions, their rejection. But what they are doing out of wickedness, God is overruling for the good. In other words, this very rejection is going to lead to Christ's death, which is going to be what? atonement, salvation, redemption. And that's taught very clearly in the Bible. Acts chapter 2 verse 23 says this. This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God. How was Jesus delivered up? According to God's definite, specific plan. By His foreknowledge, by His design. And then that passage goes on and says, You crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men." So was it God's design, or was it the hands of lawless men? It was God's design. God overruling. God working out His plan. Lawless hands put Christ to death, but it happened according to God's sovereign plan. And so the Jews' rejection of Christ, God sovereignly uses to save His people. And so sometimes when you're scratching your head and trying to grasp and understand the sovereignty of God and how is this right, Notice that this is how God has saved you. Second, I want you to see the gospel is a two-edged sword. It gives life to those who believe, but conveys judgment to those who are hardened in unbelief. This is why Jesus warned, verse 35, walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. As I already said, those who are unwilling to believe become progressively unable to believe. The more we say, no light, no light, no light, the more we are plunged into darkness. Leon Morris writes, they have rejected the gracious invitation of God, and it is God, none less, who has decreed that those who ask in this way have their eyes blinded and their hearts hardened. So as I mentioned even earlier in a different sermon, righteousness is Pharaoh. Pharaoh hardened his heart, not part of his heart. Three, this hardening effect of unbelief is part of God's judgment. J.C. Ryle again says, God had given over the Jews to judicial blindness as a punishment for their continued and obstinate rejection of his warnings. So as I warned earlier, Sometimes we think we can wait to believe on Jesus later. Whoever child said no to that, that was a good answer. You can't wait until later. The call is now. But sometimes we want a few more years to enjoy sin and think we can always come to God later. John warns against that mentality. What's it say in 2 Corinthians chapter 6? For he says, in a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I've helped you. Behold, now is the favorable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. And if you're wondering and thinking, but I wonder if I've hardened myself too long. Is it too late for me? Can I no longer come to Christ? Am I no longer able? I would respond to you if you're asking those questions. That it doesn't appear that your heart is hardened. It doesn't. But that the Holy Spirit is working. You might say, but I have foolishly, foolishly rejected that light far too long. And that may be so. And if you're saying that, isn't that the indication that God has not hardened you against it? And let me remind you, in the context of God's sovereignty, this promise that stands, this promise that stands right next to the sovereignty of God. Not contrary to it, but it goes with it. 1 John 1 8 to 2 2. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. So if you're asking that question, have I hardened myself one too many times? Jesus Himself, God the Father promises, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That is His promise. If you have, then know He has not hardened you. And if you have confessed your sins, what's it say? He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And so as you may be confused with how the sovereignty of God and how man's responsibility fit together, the promise is still clear. If you believe, if you repent, Christ has, has forgiven you. Don't miss that. If you're confused right now with some of the things that were said and with the sovereignty of God, remember that promise in the midst of the confusion. Well, brothers and sisters, we've talked about the hardness of man's heart, and that apart from the working of the Spirit, no one would come to faith. Yet God works in amazing ways and brings people you wouldn't expect to Himself. The Gospel is always at work in ways that are surprising to us. Because isn't verse 42, in the midst of all the rejection, quite surprising. Did you catch verse 42 yet? Many, even of the authorities, believed in Him. He was rejected as a whole, but many, even of the authorities, believed in Him. Many had hardened their hearts. But some did believe. Many. Not sure how many the many are. We're not told. But many believed. When challenged by Jesus, But there was a problem with these new converts, for we read, for fear of the Pharisees, they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue. Brothers and sisters, sometimes we might start in our faith weak. But let it be known, there is a cost for following Jesus. Don't get me wrong, salvation is a free gift that was paid for in full by Jesus Christ and you pay absolutely nothing to earn it. There is nothing you can do to earn even the slightest ounce of your forgiveness. Christ accomplished it fully by his perfect life and his sacrificial death. But as Christians, we are to take up our cross and follow Jesus. As Christians, saved by grace, we are saved to be disciples. We are saved as His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. We are made disciples. Disciples follow. You see, the Great Commission is not go and make professors of faith. It's go and make disciples. You're not saved by becoming a disciple. We are saved and made a disciple. Follow Christ. These new believers feared rejection. They were afraid to be cast out of the Jewish synagogue. And really, in that context, that would be to cast out of normal, everyday Jewish life. But we're not called to be secret disciples. Sooner rather than later, a true believer must go public with his faith in Jesus, regardless of the cost. Mark 8.38, Jesus speaking, for whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him, will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with his holy angels? And notice the rebuke that Jesus gives these men as well, verse 43. For they love the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. They love the glory they receive from others. And we get this, don't we? We all want to, naturally, we all want to be liked. Nobody says, hey, would you make things hard on me? We just don't do that. We like to be liked. Nobody wants to be turned away from by family, by friends, by others. And so most Christians struggle with this same kind of temptation, at least to some degree or another. This is one of the reasons why we are tempted to blend in with the world in our manner of living. We fear to be ostracized if we're living openly and boldly as followers of Christ. Sometimes we're reluctant to speak to people about the Savior who can redeem souls because we fear what people will think. We're more concerned with the glory of man, what he gives, than what God gives. You face that, don't you? I face that. How do we break this temptation? How do you deal with that? How do we break this fear of man and this love of the world? Well, we do have an answer here. And it's found in the word glory in verses 41 and 43. The believers were afraid to admit their belief in Jesus because they were caught up with the glory of this world. But in contrast, Isaiah committed himself to the Lord because he saw His, or Jesus' glory, verse 41. Isaiah was committed because what? Remember Isaiah chapter 6? He saw the glory of the Lord shown around. Go back to Isaiah 6, that's being referred to here. Isaiah 6, 1 says, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Isaiah's being called to go forth, and before going forth, he got a glimpse of the glory of the pre-incarnate Christ, seeing the Lord high and lifted up. His ultimate glory is high, majestic, and authoritative power. And then we further read in Isaiah, verses 2 to 4, above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings. With two he covered his face. With two he covered his feet. With two he flew. And one called to another and said, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. And the foundations of the threshold shook at the voice of him who called. and His house was filled with smoke. Isaiah saw the weightiness, the greatness, the awesomeness of Christ. And having seen the great and awesomeness of Christ, Christ in all His glory, Isaiah no longer feared nor was enthralled with the glory of the world. Not after looking at the glory of Christ. Not after looking at the awesomeness of Christ. It isn't the same true with us. The only cure for the fear of the world and the desire for the glory of the world is gazing upon Christ through the eyes of faith in all His glory. You must see Him through the eyes of faith as high and exalted. You must see Him with His glory filling the world. You must be enthralled with the awesomeness of Christ, and when you are, what in the world is the glory of the world? So when you find yourself getting caught up with the glory of the world, as we can all do at times, gaze upon Christ. Meditate upon Christ. And again, why read the law like we do each Lord's Day morning? That it might force us and remind us to look upon Christ and what Christ has done to save us. Fill your eyes with the majesty of Christ. Fill your minds with the majesty of Christ. Sometimes people think that theology isn't practical. Some people could be saying, Pastor, you're talking about some pretty technical stuff today about the sovereignty of God. But I hope you see, with this technical stuff, with the theology is the practical application. The best motivation for living in this world is focusing on Christ, is understanding theology, understanding what God has done. And you might say, but I can't see Him like Isaiah did. If I can only have a vision like Isaiah, if I can only see that. Well, true, we're not going to see a vision like Isaiah did. But you and I have the Word of God. We have the Bible as a whole. And remember what Peter said. Second Peter 119, we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. What do you have? You have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, more fully sure. You have something better. We have something more sure in the word. Make the words your chief delight. Focus on Christ, and may we gaze on Christ to become more and more enthralled with him. And to God be the glory. Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, do, we pray, fill us, fill our minds, fill our eyes, fill our hearts, fill our heads with the greatness of Christ, that we may not fear the things around us, but live for you in all boldness. Lord, strengthen us that we would believe in the light, that we would walk in the light, because Jesus is high and exalted. So Father, strengthen us now, we pray. In Jesus' name, amen.