All right, in our study of John's gospel, we come this morning now to the last section of John chapter 12. We've divided the chapter into four sections. We come this morning to the beginning of the fourth and final section in John chapter 12. Now this chapter, as you recall, is a chapter that has marked the beginning of our Lord's final week of life and ministry here on this earth, a week that we often refer to as as the Passion Week. And this is also the chapter, as we come to this final section now, that will mark the end of our Lord's public ministry. We come to the end of John chapter 12, our Lord's public ministry will be over. And so As we approach this last section this morning, let me just very briefly remind you of some of the very significant things that have happened in this chapter so far as a lead up to the fourth and final section that we're going to get started on today. In the first section of this chapter, I know you can't forget what happened there. In the first section of this chapter, Jesus arrived in Bethany on a Saturday. He had been undercover a little bit because the Jews were trying to kill him, as they always were. He came out of cover and arrived in Bethany on a Saturday. And at an evening meal that they prepared in honor of him, Mary, of course, anointed him. Wasn't that beautiful? Mary anointed him with that very expensive vial of perfume of pure nard. Now, Mary didn't say this, but Jesus said that that anointing was an anointing for his burial. In the second section of this chapter then, on the next day, John says, which would have been on Sunday, Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, another very, very significant event. And as Jesus came riding into Jerusalem for this very last time of his earthly life, he was riding on the colt of a donkey. And that wasn't just a coincidence. That was in fulfillment of a prophecy that was in fulfillment of Zechariah 9.9. And he also made that triumphal entry into Jerusalem, by the way, on the exact day that another prophet said he would, and that would be the prophet Daniel. Those 70 weeks of Daniel's history, it's all right there. He came in on the exact day. In the third section of this chapter that we just finished up with last time, what Paul preached last week, so it would've been two weeks ago. Excuse me. Something very interesting happened somewhere in the middle of this Passion Week when the Jews are just about to finalize and make official their rejection of Jesus by having the Romans nail him to a cross. Some Greeks, some God-fearing Gentiles, come to Philip asking for an interview with Jesus. Now, as I've said to you several times before, there's no indication in the Word of God that Jesus ever granted those Greeks that interview. But the mere fact that they asked for one marked for Jesus a major turning point in his ministry, a turning point from the Jews to the Gentiles. And it also triggered in him, as you recall, the announcement of his hour. The hour has come, Jesus said in verse 23, for the Son of Man to be glorified. These inquiring Greeks in the third section of John chapter 12 marked for us the dawning age of the Gentiles. Great things are going to begin to happen after this. Very soon now Israel will be temporarily set aside as the channel of God's grace and salvation to the world. Paul explains that very well in Romans chapters 9, 10, and 11. We're going to actually be looking at chapter 11 a little bit later on today. And then on the upcoming day of Pentecost, 50 days after our Lord's resurrection from the dead, The predominantly Gentile church will be born as the new channel of God's grace and salvation to the world. And so there's just a quick summary of what's happened. All of that now brings us up to the fourth and final section of this chapter that I'm going to call, by way of outline, Jesus is rejected by the Jews. Jesus is rejected by the Jews. Follow along, please. If you have your Bibles open to John chapter 12, I'm going to begin reading the word of God in verse 37. And I will read from there down through verse 50. But though he had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet, which he spoke, Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For this reason they could not believe, For Isaiah said again, he has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart and be converted and I heal them. These things Isaiah said because he saw his glory and he spoke of him. Nevertheless, many even of the rulers believed in him, but because of the Pharisees, they were not confessing him for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. For they love the approval of man rather than the approval of God. And Jesus cried out and said, he who believes in me does not believe in me, but in him who sent me. He who sees me sees the one who sent me. I have come as light into the world so that everyone who believes in me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him, for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has one who judges him. The word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. For I did not speak on my own initiative. but the father himself who sent me has given me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that his commandment is eternal life. Therefore, the things I speak, I speak just as the father has told me." So that's what we have cut out for us now as we finish this great chapter. Let's pray together and then we're going to go to work on those first couple of verses. Father, our hearts are filled with gratitude this morning. As we've studied this great chapter in your word and, Father, in the earlier verses, we have watched our Savior willingly ride into Jerusalem where he knew, Father, that he would suffer, bleed, and die for sins that he never committed. Father, for sins that we committed. Thank you, Father, for our Savior and his cross that opened the way of salvation and forgiveness in heaven for all of us. who deserve nothing but your wrath in hell forever. We then thank you, Father, also for the church, the church that was born on the other side of our Savior's cross, the church that brought believing Jews and Gentiles all together in one body. As we're gathered here together now, Father, on this Lord's Day morning as one little local expression of our Savior's church, one little local expression of Jesus Christ's body. We ask you once again for that illumination. We know we always need as we study your precious word. Teach us, Father, more salvation truth now as we delve into this final section of John chapter 12. We love and worship you and we commit our study time to you now, praying in Jesus name. Amen. Well, as John chapter 12 comes to an end and these verses that we are now going to study, as I said to you already this morning, a minute ago, so will our Lord's public ministry come to an end beginning in chapter 13. Oh, there's some wonderful stuff in chapter 13. Beginning in chapter 13, our Lord's focus will be on his disciples. His focus will be on those men who will become the leaders and the teachers in the soon to be born church. And so once again what we have here in this last section of John chapter 12 that I just read for you is, if you will, the curtain coming down on the public ministry of Jesus Christ. Do you remember when it began? Public ministry that began, I don't know, Some of you weren't here even when we studied the earlier chapters of John's Gospel, but a few of you were. Do you remember where it began? It began way back there in chapter 1 in verse 29. What a beautiful verse. Remember, John the Baptist was out in the wilderness, wild man that he was, right? He was out there in the wilderness preaching, and he saw Jesus coming from a distance. And so he introduced Jesus to that crowd that he was preaching to. When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming, he stopped preaching. He abruptly stopped preaching. Now, I don't know this for sure, but I'm pretty sure that he probably pointed his finger in that direction. And he shouted these precious words to that crowd. Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. That's where our Lord's public ministry began. Right here now at the end of chapter 12 is where it's going to end. We're going to break these final 14 verses of the chapter down into four subsections that I think will very well mark and explain the Jews' final rejection, the final and official rejection of Jesus Christ, their Messiah. And so how about if I just go ahead and give you those four outline points right now so that you'll know kind of where this text is going. We're not going to get them all done today, that's for sure. But let me give you the outline points that we're going to use, and then we'll go to work on the first one today. Here's what I'm going to call verses 37 and 38. I'm going to call those verses, the Jews would not believe. The Jews would not believe. That's what we're gonna talk about today. And then I'm going to call verses 39 to 41. The Jews could not believe. There's a downward progression there. See it already? The Jews would not believe. The next thing we're going to learn from John is that the Jews could not believe. And so mark that right now. We'll talk about it more next week. But there is, people, a terrifying thing that happens right there in the transition between point one and point two in this text that we are now going to study. We'll talk about that terrifying thing more next time. going on to verses 42 and 43, John will tell us about many Jews who tried to believe, and I'll explain that further when we get there. But here we're going to get some, I know it doesn't say they tried to believe it, it says they believed. But they tried to believe is what it really means. And when we get there, I'll explain that further. We're going to get some insights there into that insufficient and non-saving kind of faith that is humanly produced. All right? That's what verses 42 to 43 are all about. And then, oh, what a masterpiece we have in the last subsection here. John will finish out the chapter in verses 44 to 50 by recording the words and the warnings of our Lord as he spells out for these Jews and for us, by the way, the eternal consequences of unbelief, right? Unbelief has been going on among these Jews ever since the beginning of this Gospel of John, right? We've seen it and we've seen it and we've seen it. Now, Jesus, you know what we could call those final verses? verses 44 to 50, we could call those final verses our Lord's farewell sermon, if you will. This is it. The lights are going to go out on his public ministry after he preaches this sermon. And again, This is going to close out his public ministry, but again, if Jesus were to give this sermon a title, I think this would have been his title. The Eternal Consequences of Unbelief. That's what he's going to preach on to close out his public ministry. Masterpiece. We'll get there. We'll get there. Well, for now, go back with me to verses 37 and 38. We start at the beginning, right? We start at the beginning. Verses 37, 38 is on our agenda for today. where we have John's inspired commentary on the Jews who would not believe. That's what I want to talk with you about for a few minutes this morning. But though, look at the verse, but though he had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in him. We've got some pronouns here. pronouns them and they here in verse 37 would be references to the Jewish nation as a whole, most recently represented by the crowd that was just interacting with Jesus in the previous verses. Now it must be said that not all of the Jews had refused to believe in Jesus. He always has his remnant, right? Not all of the Jews had refused to believe in Jesus. A few here and a few there had believed in him. And let me give you an example. We saw an example of that back in verse 11 of this chapter. But the chief priests plan, remember the chief priests were going to make a visit to Bethany and they decided, you know what? Not only are we going to kill Jesus, we need to put that Lazarus guy back in his tomb where he belongs too, right? Remember that? But the chief priests plan to put Lazarus to death also, it says in verses 10 and 11, because on account of him, why? Because on account of him, many of the Jews were going away. They were going away from Judaism. and were believing in Jesus. And so there were some Jews who did truly believe, yes. But for the most part, the Jews were not believing in him. John says, the imperfect, the verb tense here, were not believing. William Hendrickson said, indicates that there was a constant and progressive unwillingness among the Jewish nation as a whole to believe in Jesus with a genuine living faith. And so bottom line is this, what John is communicating here in verse 37 is widespread, listen, widespread unbelief among the Jews of Jesus' day. Enough so as to call it a national rejection of him. National unbelief in Jesus Christ, is what John just declared in verse 37. Let me tell you something interesting that I read about. I read a little bit about an interesting spin on this verse that some have made with regard to what it says here in verse 37. Some have actually argued that this widespread unbelief that John just declared in verse 37 is something that throws suspicion on the life and the ministry the Lord Jesus Christ, and let me explain where they're going with that. The Jews were the chosen people of God, this argument goes. The Jews had the scriptures and were in fact experts in the law, and we know all of that's true. The Jews knew the Word of God, and so If Jesus really was the Messiah, if Jesus really was God in human flesh, if Jesus really was the sent one from God to be the Savior of the world, then certainly the Jews would have recognized him as such, if anyone would have recognized him as such, right? That's how the argument goes. Certainly the Jews couldn't have missed that, these people say. If the proofs of Jesus' deity and redemptive mission were so obvious and so convincing, then Israel of all people would not have hated him and called him a blasphemer. Israel would have believed in him and loved him. And so maybe these people say, based on verse 37 now, and so maybe these people say his earthly life and ministry wasn't quite as convincing as Christianity claims it to be. Bunk. That argument, people, is absolute, 100% nonsense. That is not at all. what John is communicating here or even hinting at. And you know what the key to this is. We talk about it all the time. How do we interpret the scriptures? Do we grab a verse and pull it out and take it over here and interpret it? No, no, no, no. Verse 37 is not an isolated verse that can be interpreted out of its context like that and made to say whatever you want it to say. Verse 37, like every other verse in this book, must be interpreted within the context of the whole word of God, within the context of all, all of the wonderful salvation doctrines that are taught in the word of God. And so no, no, no, no. Verse 37 does not prove. the inadequacy of our Lord's earthly life and ministry to clearly communicate and demonstrate his deity and his Messiahship. But listen, what verse 37 does further prove and demonstrate is a doctrine that we have studied in several other places and at several other times over and over again, in fact, in this inspired book, Market. That doctrine I'm talking about is the doctrine of the total depravity of sinful man. total depravity of simple man, apart from divine intervention. And you know what, even right here in the immediate context of this chapter, the next few verses are going to make it abundantly clear to us that verse 37 is in no way casting a shadow of suspicion on the life and ministry of Jesus. John's pointed verse 37, in fact, is to communicate people just exactly the opposite of that. What is John communicating here? John is not communicating here the inadequacy of Jesus' life and ministry. What is he communicating? He's communicating, you can just look at the verse and see it. He's communicating the utter inexcusability of the Jews' unbelief against the backdrop of what, how does John word it? So many signs. So many signs that could not possibly be ignored, dismissed, or misunderstood. It's not the inadequacy of Jesus' life and ministry that John is communicating here. It's the utter inexcusability of the Jews' unbelief. And let's go ahead and get into verse 37 now. But though he had performed so many signs before them, John said in the first phrase there, as you all know, As you all know, John recorded seven signs or miracles in this gospel of John, right? Seven, that number of perfection, right? Seven I am statements, seven miracles, right? We've studied. And, and you know, the beauty of this at this point in our study, when we look back, what do we have behind us? We have a careful study of every single one of those, don't we? Every single one of those miracles we have studied at length, right? Seven miracles. But then as you know, did Jesus just perform seven miracles? No. We've talked about this many times. Jesus actually performed not just seven, but hundreds, maybe even thousands of miracles while he was here on this earth. And every single one of those miracles are things that only God could do. Therefore, many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book. John said in chapter 20 and verse 30. In other words, what is John saying there? I couldn't record them all. There were too many of them. I couldn't write them all down, but these have been written, verse 31, these seven, got my fingers right here, these seven, these seven have been written so that, purpose clause, so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing, you may have life in his name. And then he said it again, the very last verse of his gospel, John 21, 25, John made reference again. to the overwhelming abundance of miracles that Jesus had performed while he was here on this earth. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, you know the verse, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written. Right? So once again, let me say that verse 37 is not not intended to be a commentary on the inadequacy of Jesus' life and ministry. It's intended to be a commentary on the inexcusability of the Jews' unbelief. The Jews, as you remember from the earlier chapters of this gospel, had made some very, very flimsy attempts at trying to deny and explain away the miracles of our Lord. And while I'm saying that, I'm thinking of probably one of the most bogus attempts they ever made with the blind man. I'm thinking of that silly, ridiculous, bogus investigation the Pharisees conducted, remember, after Jesus had healed the blind man in chapter 9, right? They interrogated, remember, the man. They weren't happy with what they got from the man. And so they called the man's parents and they weren't happy with what they got from the man's parents. And so then they called the man again for a second time. And the whole thing was an attempt by them to get the answer not to get the answer that they already knew was the answer, but to get the answer that they wanted to be the answer. That's what they were shooting for. But you know what? Right while they were going through all the motions of that bogus investigation, they knew. They knew very well what had happened. They all knew very well that Jesus had miraculously restored that man's sight. But you know what? We talked about it when we studied that. They also knew something else. And let me remind you what they also knew. They also knew from Isaiah's prophecy, something very significant. Isaiah had said, when you see a man, when you see a man who can restore sight to the blind, you can know something about that man. That man is the promised Messiah. Because do you remember, do you remember us talking about that? No other, you know, the apostles did some healings and various other things. They were given power to do that. But there was no other man on the face of this earth who ever healed blindness, except for one man. And that was the man, Jesus Christ. When you see that man, Isaiah said, who can restore sight to the blind, you can know that that man is the Messiah, the promised Messiah. The Jews of Jesus' day were all right here, right there as firsthand witnesses to probably dozens and dozens, if not hundreds and hundreds of miracles that he performed. in their presence every single day. These Jews saw him, people, with their own eyes. They didn't just read about it like you and I do. They saw with their own eyes. Jesus healed the sick, expelled demons, control the winds and the seas, walk on water, turn water into wine, reveal to men their secret thoughts, answering questions for them that they hadn't even asked yet. And then you know what else they saw? You know what they saw as the culminating crescendo to all of this. These Jews even saw Jesus, people, raise a man from the dead who had been rotting in a tomb for four days. They saw Lazarus come walking out of that tomb. And you know what? You know that the Jews didn't even try to deny that one, did they? What are you going to do with that, right? They were pretty unraveled by it, that's for sure. They didn't even try to deny that Lazarus miracle, but instead they convened a council, and at that council, They privately admitted to one another that all of Jesus' miracles were real. Let me read that for you, a couple of verses there in John 11. Therefore, the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council and were saying, John 11, 47, what are we doing? And here's their confession. For this man is performing many signs, right? Behind closed doors, they admitted that it was all real. They saw the signs, they knew what the signs meant, but instead of bowing their knees to the sovereign Lord, they decided to kill him instead. because he was a threat to their power and he was a threat to their false religious system. If we let him go on like this, they said to one another in verse 48, all men will believe in him and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. They were worried about their power. They were worried about their positions and their power and all of that. And so yes, the Jews saw all of our Lord's signs and yes, they knew what those signs were pointing to. They knew what those signs were declaring about him. But even though he had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in him. John goes on to say at the end of verse 37, can you believe that they were not believing, John says, after seeing so many signs? That's kind of the gist here. That's the essence of what John is saying here. It's an inspired declaration of Jewish unbelief. And you know what else it is? It's also an illustration. what the Bible has taught us over and over and over again about the utter hopelessness and helplessness of sinful and unregenerate men to do anything in and of themselves to remedy their lost estate. That's what this is. That's what verse 37 is. You see, the Jews were not lacking information, right? They spent three years with Jesus for crying out loud. They weren't lacking any information. The Jews were lacking evidence. All of the miracles that we just talked about, so many signs they saw, but you know what these Jews were lacking? These Jews were lacking the divine intervention that is always necessary for anyone to understand who Jesus Christ is and then believe in him. You know, I feel sometimes like I keep saying the same things over and over again as we study the Word of God together on these Lord's Day mornings. And that's probably because I do keep saying the same things over and over again. But I can't apologize for that because the Word of God keeps saying the same things over and over and over again in different ways and in different contexts. The Word of God, have you noticed that over the years? That's kind of beautiful, actually. The Word of God just keeps teaching the same doctrines. over and over again from different angles, from different vantage points and different contexts. And every time it teaches that same doctrine over and over again, it adds richness. It adds nuances. It adds flavors that we never saw before. And when you put it together, you got this tapestry, right? When you study the whole word of God, that's why we don't quit, right? We got a long ways to go. We're never going to make it. We're never going to make it in a lifetime, but we keep going. And these doctrines just keep getting taught over and over again. And every time, people, I hope you experience that as I do. In my soul, I experience the richness of that just getting bigger and better and more wonderful with every new page. And yet it's the same doctrine. It's the same doctrine. And so that was the preface for what I'm going to say next. So let me go ahead now and say again what I know I've said before and probably not that long ago. Information is needed. Gospel information is needed. That's why we preach the gospel. That's why I get up here and preach the gospel. That's why when we're out during the week and we interact with people, that's why we give them the gospel. That's why we preach the gospel. Information is needed. But listen, what have I said before? Information alone is never enough to bring someone to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Do you understand that? Information is needed. But even the best presentation of all the information in and of itself is not enough to bring someone to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Likewise, evidence is needed. And that's why John recorded these seven incredible signs in his gospel. And why he, you know, there were many, many more that he didn't record, but that's why John recorded these seven incredible signs in his gospel. But again, let me say, like information, Evidence alone is never, ever, ever enough. Even a truckload of evidence is never enough. Alone is never enough to bring someone to saving faith in Jesus Christ. You say, well, how do I know that? Because the Jews just proved what I just said. Did they not? For 11 chapters, they've gotten all the information that anybody could ever ask for. They've gotten more evidence than anybody could ever ask for. And yet, what did John just say about them? And yet, after seeing so many signs, they were what? They were what? They were not believing. All right? Let me remind you of something else we've talked about many times before. But who do you say that I am? Jesus asked Peter one time in Matthew 16, 15. Simon Peter answered, verse 16, you are the Christ, the son of the living God. Jesus said to him, verse 17, I know, I know I take you here over and over again, but would you please Would you please never forget what Jesus said to Peter in verse 17. Blessed are you, Simon Barjona. because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you. But my father who is in heaven, would you people please always remember that as you share the gospel with lost people. Listen, when you go out there and do that, be prepared to share that gospel so clearly that a two-year-old could understand it. Be prepared to share that gospel as clearly and as effectively as you possibly can with the Spirit's help. But then when you're done, always remember, always remember this salvation doctrine. Unregenerate men and women cannot, cannot come to an understanding of who Jesus Christ is and what he has accomplished on a cross. no matter how clearly you explain it, unless, unless the father reveals that to them. Okay, now here's where we are. The father did reveal that to Peter, and that's why I said, blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. The father did reveal that to Peter, but the father did not reveal that to this majority of Jews that John speaks of in verse 37. And so I submit to you that that's the reason why. even after seeing so many signs, that they did not know who Jesus Christ is. In spite of all the signs, in spite of all the evidence, in spite of all the information, they should have made that abundantly clear. Apart from divine intervention, this is so critical, so critical to understand. Apart from divine intervention, unregenerate man cannot come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Period. End of sentence. Listen, by observing what they do and how they do it, by observing how they manipulate people, I really don't think the vast majority of evangelical churches today understand this salvation doctrine at all. I really don't. They obviously do not understand the sovereignty of God in salvation that we are talking about right now. Because if they did, they wouldn't be doing what they are doing. Let me remind you of some of the scriptures to support what I'm saying right now. Again, I know we've looked at them many times before, but this is critical, critical stuff. All that the father gives me, Jesus said, will come to me, John 6.37. And the one who comes to me, I will certainly not cast out. You say, what does that mean? It means exactly what it says. The only ones who will come to Jesus Christ are the ones that the father has given to Jesus Christ. And you say, well, who are they? Who are they? Well, we know who they are. They're the ones, the ones the father gives to Jesus Christ are the ones the father has chosen to be in Christ from before the foundation of the world. And you can read about that in Ephesians 1.4. And then a few verses later in John 6, Jesus said the same thing again in verse 44, this time in a negative way. Listen, don't turn there. Just listen to the clarity of this, would you please? Listen to the clarity of this. No one can come, no one can come to me, Jesus said, unless, unless the father who sent me draws him and I will raise him up on the last day. Now the reformers always said that the word of God is our final and ultimate authority for all matters of faith and practice, right? That practice part, that's important too. That truth must dictate what we believe and what we do and how we carry that out. And so, you know, let me just say, let me just say, after reading John 6.44, listen, preachers, preachers don't draw men to Jesus Christ through their manipulation tactics. Preachers do not draw men and women to Jesus Christ through their manipulation tactics. Only the Father can do that. Jesus just said that. And so what must we do? We must let the Father do what only He can do. We must let the Father do what only He can do. It's once again what we have illustrated here. Verse 37 is the total depravity of man, the utter hopelessness, the utter helplessness of unregenerate men and women in their lost estate. Listen, apart from divine intervention, all the message of a crucified Savior is ever going to elicit from the will of unregenerate men and women is stubborn and inexcusable unbelief. We're seeing that here in John 6.37. And sometimes it's even going to elicit from them scorn and contempt to go along with their unbelief. And we've seen that from these Jews too, have we not? In the previous chapters. You know, I know we visit the first six verses in Ephesians chapter two quite often. But, I'm going to take you there again this morning. Would you go there for some wonderfully clear commentary on what John just said in John 12.37. John, turn please to Ephesians chapter two. And here's where we're going to look at the first six verses there. Nowhere people is the total depravity of unsaved men. better explained than it is in the first three verses of Ephesians chapter 2. And then nowhere is the gracious, sovereign, and divine intervention of God in salvation better explained than it is in the next three verses. Ephesians chapter 2, and so please look at these verses with me again, even though we've looked at them hundreds of times before. Never let the Word of God get redundant. Never, never, never. If you've looked at it a hundred times, when you go to that same text for the hundred and first time, look at it fresh and new like you've never seen it before, and let it speak to your heart. Ephesians 2, 1, are you there? Here we go. What does it say? And you were what? and you were dead in your trespasses and sins, Paul says in verse one. You know what, can I just stop there and say, listen, people, I hope that you worship God with a grateful heart every time you read that verse, because that was you and that was me before God intervened. You were dead. You were dead. We were physically alive, yes, but at the same time, We were spiritually dead, hopelessly and helplessly spiritually dead. And we all proved that by the way we walked, by the way we lived, as verse 2 goes on to say, let's keep going. And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, verse 2, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. You know, it's pretty ugly stuff, isn't it? Before God intervened, Satan was our master, and we were full-fledged citizens of and willing participants in his evil world system, the cosmos. Among them, we too, verse three, all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh. Do you remember that? Indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. Before God intervened, we were all worldlings, is what that means, who lived and acted like worldlings. We were driven by the lusts of our flesh, and we were by nature, Paul says, children of wrath. We were headed for hell. We were headed for the wrath of God. And you know, as I read these verses again this morning, I wish I could say to you that I don't remember all of that. I wish I could say that I don't remember all that, but you know what? I do remember all that. And in fact, I vividly remember all of that. I was 28 years old when the grace of God saved me, old enough to remember all of that. For the first 28 years of my life, I lived right there as a prisoner. I was a young man, all grown up. First 28 years of my life, I lived right there as a prisoner in the first three verses of Ephesians chapter 2. But you know what? It's like it is with all unbelievers. I didn't know I was a prisoner. Unbelievers don't know they're prisoners, do they? You know what? I didn't know I was dead either. I didn't know I was a prisoner. I didn't know I was dead. I loved my sin. And I was just going on about my merry way until that day. Until that day when the great hound of heaven began that process of drawing me to a son. You know, I remember being kind of puzzled by it all because all of a sudden, all of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere, I strangely found myself thinking about things that I'd never thought about before. Where is this coming from, right? I know I've probably told you this before, but I had to get up real early to go to work in those days. And so we lived in Cadillac, Michigan at the time. We had just moved back up there from the Detroit area. Had to get up real early to go to work. And so with a quiet house and a strong cup of coffee, I would turn on the TV, and wouldn't you know, there was a preacher on there explaining the gospel. And the gospel he was explaining was the very same gospel, very exact same gospel that I had heard over and over and over and over and over again as a kid, where my faithful mom had always taken me to church. But there was something interesting about this time. I was hearing it this time in a different way than I had ever heard it before. Same stuff, same stuff, same truth, same words. But now I was hearing it in a completely different way. And so I don't know. You know, he caught my attention. I went to work, and I'm thinking about this all day. And the next morning, I've got to do it again. And so I turned the TV on and on, day after day for probably two months, maybe three. I don't know how long this went on. I don't remember. But it was a while. It was a while. Every morning, there I was. Yeah, there I was, listening to this guy with my morning cup of coffee. And somewhere in the process, I don't know, some months down the road, all I know I don't remember the day. Mark and I talk about it all the time, because he and I share that date, that kind of time range, anyway, when God got a hold of us. Somewhere in the fall of 1983, I remember it was a fall day. Darcy was a little baby. I pulled off the side of the road in my old pickup truck, and I asked God if he would forgive me of my sins, if he would save me from my sins. And he did. He did. I don't know why. I knew it was real. I went home and told my wife. She thought I was nuts. She did, and it was only a matter of months, and God got a hold of her heart, and praise be to God that he did. But my life has never been the same, never, ever, ever been the same. And so I say that only to say this, what all just happened here? What all just happened here? Was this just me deciding to think about some things that I had never thought about before? Was it just me with my own human mind somehow finally finally figuring out what that guy was talking about on TV. You know, I'd heard it all before, but now I listened and, you know, I'm smart. So I figured it out in my own mind, what he was saying, what it all meant. Was this, was this me making that, you know, quote unquote decision for Christ as they so commonly say in the evangelical church today? No, no, this was not me at all. None of this was me. None of this was me because I was spiritually what? dead. I was spiritually, I couldn't respond to anything spiritual. I was dead. And so what did just happen in my life then? If it wasn't me, what just happened? Well, I think you know what happened, but as long as I live, I'll never get tired of telling you what happened, but God happened, but God happened. This whole thing, this whole thing was God. It wasn't me. 100% God and 0% me. I was fiercely dead, but God intervened. I don't know why. I don't know why he intervened in my life. You know, from my perspective, I could probably think of some better options that he would have had, right? I don't know why he intervened in my life that day instead of someone else's life that day, but all I can do is be thankful that he did. I'm so thankful that he did. I'll spend eternity probably trying to figure out why he intervened in my life. Somewhere back there in eternity past, he had chosen me to be in Christ. And then in the fall of 1983, he called me with that irresistible call to salvation. He drew me to the Savior, and then he miraculously transformed my life. And I am so thankful, so thankful for those next three verses in Ephesians 2. Let's look at them together. But God, that's what happened. But God, But God, Paul went on to say, I know you all have those two words underlined in your Bibles, because we talk about them a lot, and rightfully so. Let me put it to you this way. If you're here today, and Jesus Christ is truly your Lord and your Savior, those two inspired words are the reason why. Those two words are the reason why. You're not the reason why. But God is the reason why. But God, being rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ. Who made us alive together with Christ? God did, even when we were dead. Even when we were dead, God made us alive. Are you understanding the doctrine of salvation this morning? And who does what? You do nothing. He does it all, right? And raised us up with him. and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That, people, is the doctrine of salvation that is taught not only here, but it's taught all through the Word of God. That is the doctrine of salvation that has radically and forever changed this wretched sinner's life, and that is the doctrine of salvation that I will preach with all the fury I can muster in my soul with the Spirit's help as long as God gives me the breath to do so. That is the gospel of Jesus Christ. This majority of Jews in John 12 37 were not believing in him in spite of the massive amount of gospel information and overwhelming evidence they had. Because, mark this, they lacked that necessary divine intervention. I don't know why, but they did. They did not have that divine intervention. One more thing must be said here before we go on to verse 38. This is a very important thing that must always be said and included. and a correct and biblical understanding of the doctrine of salvation. You know, based on what I've said, you might think this way, but contrary to how the human mind might think it would be, the need for divine intervention is never presented in the Word of God as a valid excuse for unbelief. Human mind would think that it might be. Wouldn't that make sense to your mind and mine? No. Human culpability is clearly implied in this statement John made in verse 37. With so many signs, they should have believed, is John's point here, but they were not believing. The many signs make their unbelief inexcusable. And Romans 1.20, by the way, says the very same thing about every man and woman, Jew and Gentile alike, with regard to what we call the general revelation of God. This book is the special revelation of God. We get all the many more details here, but there is what we call the general revelation of God. And what is that? That's conscience and creation. You know, I thought of that because my brother Paul had us there in Romans 1.20 in his sermon that he preached here last week. And what is the point of Romans 1.20? Well, the point of Romans 1.20 is to say this, there is no man no woman who will ever be able to say on judgment day, but wait a minute, nobody ever told me there is a God. No, no, no. Nobody will ever be able to say that. Why? Romans 1.20. For since the creation of the world, Paul said, his invisible attributes, his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen being understood through what has been made so that they are Paul's sermon title last week, without excuse. So they are without excuse. And so, yes, divine intervention is needed. But when men and women refuse to believe, the Bible always holds them fully responsible for their unbelief along with the subsequent consequences of that unbelief. And if you want the classic example of that, I'll give it to you. Judas the betrayer. We're going to get quite familiar with him coming up. Judas the betrayer is the ultimate illustration of that truth. The son of man is to go, just as it is written of him, it says in Matthew 26, 24. But woe to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed. It would have been good for that man if he had not been born. In the sovereign plan of God, Judas never got that divine intervention. Judas never got that but God moment. But mark this. Judas was still fully responsible for his heinous sin and unbelief. And Judas is right now, as I speak, paying the eternal consequences for that in hell with absolutely no one to blame but Judas. And let's begin to move in the direction of verse 38 now. All right, there's verse 37. One more to go for today. Verse 38. I'm not actually going to read verse 38 yet. I'll read it in a little while, but I'm not going to read it quite yet because there are a few set up things that I want to say first. John, as we move towards verse 38, John with the prophet Isaiah's help in verse 38 is going to give us the answer to another question that people often have. with regard to this widespread Jewish unbelief. And so let's just go ahead and get that question out of the table first before we then land on John and Isaiah's answer to that question in verse 38. Here's the question. Here's the question. People sometimes wonder if this widespread unbelief from God's chosen nation is something that took God by surprise. Was Israel's unbelief a frustration of God's redemptive plan? It kind of seems like maybe it was. It really does seem like it could have been. The father sent the son to be the savior of the world, it says in John 4.14, but it just didn't work out too good because of this Jewish unbelief. And by the way, Let me make a comment here. The world there in 1 John 4.14, by the way, as we've learned before, doesn't mean that Jesus Christ came to be the savior of all men and all women without exception. What does it mean? It means that he came to be the savior of all men and women without distinction, Jews and Gentiles alike. Jesus Christ purchased for God with his blood, not all men without exception, but men from every tribe and every tongue and every people and every nation, it says in Revelation 5.9. And so right there, by the way, we've just been reminded of another great salvation doctrine, right? And that is the doctrine of limited atonement. Did a full blown thing on that a while back. The father sent the son here. on a redemptive mission to die for. We learned about this in John. I think we were in John 10 when we talked about that. Jesus died for who? He came to die for his sheep, right? He came to die. He didn't die for the goats. He died for the sheep. He came to save those chosen sheep from throughout the whole world. And so that's what the world means when you see it in verses like that. And then I think you also know, that because the Jews were his chosen people, the gospel went to them first, right? For I'm not ashamed of the gospel, Paul said in Romans 1.16, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek. The Jews were the chosen people, the privileged people. And so the gospel did go to the Jews first. The father sovereign redemptive plan had always included the whole world. But it began with an emphasis on his chosen nation, Israel, that nation that he had established and called to be the witness nation through whom all the families of the earth would be blessed. Genesis 12, 1 to 3. And back to that question. I kind of got sidetracked there for a minute. I'm sorry. Back to the question. As we come out of verse 37 and move into verse 38, here's the question. Does this widespread Jewish unbelief mark a failure in God's redemptive plan? frustration in God's redemptive plan. As I said a minute ago, it does kind of look like that. God had a plan, right? He sent his son who was willing to carry out that plan, but in the end it just didn't work out because Israel didn't believe. Is this massive, here's the question reworded, is this massive Jewish unbelief and rejection of their Messiah something that threw God off track and left him reeling in to quickly come up with a plan B? Mark this. The answer to that question is a resounding no. Absolutely no. The widespread unbelief by the Jews that we just read about in verse 37 was not at all a frustration of God's redemptive plan. It was the plan. It was the plan, and I want to show you that. It was the plan. You know, always remember that with God, things are not always how they seem. Have you found that to be true? For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. It says in Isaiah 55, 8 and 9, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. God's plan, listen people, God's plan was not thwarted at all by this Jewish unbelief. Even though it might seem that way to the human mind, God's plan was actually accomplished by this Jewish unbelief that was all a part of his sovereign plan from the very beginning. Yes, Israel failed to be the channel of God's grace. and salvation to the world that God had called them to be. And listen, yes, they will bear the full responsibility for that disobedience and unbelief, as the rest of this text in John chapter 12 will make abundantly clear. But please understand that God knew they would do that from the very beginning. And it was all a part of his sovereign plan from the very beginning. Had Israel obeyed her calling? Yes. Then all the nations of the earth would have been blessed through her, Genesis 12. To us, that certainly looked like the plan, but no, that actually wasn't the plan. God knew. God knew. You know what it says in Genesis 12, God knew right while he was calling Abraham to be the father of that great nation, God knew right while he was calling Abraham that Israel as a nation was going to reject her Messiah and that she wasn't going to obey that calling to be the witness nation. And so his ultimate plan then, Get this, his ultimate plan then right from the beginning was to save the world, not through Israel's obedience, but to save the world through Israel's disobedience and unbelief. The point of our text today is to say that Israel's unbelief was woven right into the father's sovereign plan. Not plan B, plan A. God used, just think about what he did with it. God used Israel's unbelief and rejection of her Messiah to do what? To bring about the execution of his only begotten son on a cross, right? We're going to see that coming up in John's gospel. Who could be saved apart from that? No one, right? Apart from which no one could be saved. And God used Israel's unbelief and rejection of her Messiah to do some other, another incredible thing. And that is the, to establish what would be the predominantly Gentile church, right? And so all of that to you and to me with our limited finite minds certainly does sound like a plan B, but mark this today, none of that was a plan B. All of that was right there in the original plan A. And there is a pretty good explanation of that over in Romans chapter 11 that I want to show you this morning. So begin to move there if you would, please. As the apostle Paul very comprehensively proclaims the gospel of Jesus Christ in the book of Romans to the new covenant church, he devotes chapters 9, 10, and 11 to an explanation of how Israel fits into that whole picture. And here's what's going on as we approach chapters 9, 10, and 11. To some, Paul's letter up to this point may have sounded as though Israel was out for good and not in the picture at all anymore. And of course, you know, there are those, you know, the amillennialists out there who would try to tell us that today, that Israel is out for good. Some of Paul's readers were thinking that. And so clearing up any confusion about that or what these parenthetical chapters are all about. And as I just said, Romans chapter 11 we get a pretty good explanation of how Israel's unbelief and rejection of her Messiah was all a part of God's original plan A. If you're there, Romans chapter 11, I'm gonna begin reading in verse 11. Wait a minute, I actually want you to look with me first. I'll begin reading in verse 11, but look with me first very quickly at verse one and a little bit into verse two, where Paul asks and answers a very important question that he knew was on the minds of his readers. I say then, God has not rejected his people, has he? I know what you're thinking, readers, is what Paul's saying there, but may it never be. Have we talked about that phrase recently? May it never be, exclamation point. May it never be translates a Greek word, meganito. that Paul uses about 10 times in the book of Romans. It's a very, very strong negative. And if we were to translate it, we might say it like this. No, no, no. And a thousand times, no. That's what Paul is saying here. Very strong negative. God has not rejected his people, has he? May it never be. For I, too, am an Israelite, Paul went on to say, a descendant of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people, whom he foreknew. Please understand, Paul says to his readers, that Israel is not out for good. You know, there's a lot of unfulfilled promises to Israel in the Old Testament. You can be sure, Paul says, that every single one of those promises that God made to Israel will be fulfilled. They're not done. And on down through verse 10, then Paul goes on to make the point that in spite of Israel's disobedience and failure, God still has a remnant. faithful Jews. God always has his remnant, but for now those faithful Jews are going to be a part of Jesus Christ's church, along with believing Gentiles. And pick up with me in Romans 11.11 now, that's where we're going to start. This is where we're going to begin to see how Israel's unbelief was all a part of God's original plan. I say then they, that is Israel, did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be. Israel's stumble was not a permanent fall. That's Paul's point here. It's only temporary. And watch this now at the end of verse 11. Here's where God's original plan begins to get revealed. But this is so important. Look at this. But by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make them jealous. Please understand now that that wasn't God's plan B. That was God's plan A. God called Israel to be the witness nation, but he knew right then that salvation to the Gentiles wouldn't come through Israel's obedience to that call, but rather through Israel's disobedience to that call. And then further, the massive Gentile salvation that would come through the church was designed by God to make Israel jealous. And God's plan was to use that then to save Jews. Can you see this incredible mind of God at work here? Verse 12. Now, if their transgression is richest for the world and their failure is richest for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be? But I'm speaking to you who are Gentiles. And as much then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry. Can you see Paul getting excited there? Paul says, this is the best of both. Listen. If somehow, verse 14, I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. Paul was a Jew. But he was an apostle to the Gentiles. And so if some of my Jewish brethren get saved out of jealousy for the gospel that is now coming to you Gentiles, Paul says, that will just magnify my ministry. That people will just be the icing on the cake for a guy like me. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, verse 15, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also. And if the root is holy, the branches are too. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you being a wild olive were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree. And listen up now, because here comes a stern warning to us Gentiles. Do not be arrogant toward the branches. But if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will say that branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. Quite right. They were broken off for their unbelief. But you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Behold then the kindness and severity of God to those who fell severity, but to you God's kindness. If you continue in his kindness, otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in. For God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut off from what is by nature, a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more Will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? And then verse 25, very important verse again. For I do not want you brethren to be uninformed of this mystery so that you will not be wise in your own estimation that a partial hardening has happened to Israel forever? No. until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. What is that? That's the church. And so all Israel will be saved just as it is written, the deliverer will come from Zion. He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is my covenant with them when I take away their sins. We've talked about that so many times before. God is going to resume his dealings with Israel when? During the tribulation period, right? When the church age is over. That's when many Jews will be saved. And then right at the second coming, Zechariah 12.10, There's going to be a great, great harvest. of Jewish souls. A couple more verses, let's just read them. From the standpoint of the gospel, verse 28, they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable for just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience. So these also now have been disobedient that because of the mercy shown to you, they also may now be shown mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience so that he may show mercy to all. And so please understand that's all about how Israel fits in the plan here. And so please understand again that Israel's unbelief and rejection of her Messiah is not at all something that took God by surprise. Not at all something that left God reeling for a plan B to put that in Paul's terms. No, no, no. And a thousand times, no. And so how do we respond? to an incredible plan like that? How do we respond to the infinite mind of God, the omniscient mind of Almighty God? Well, worship is the only way for us to respond to that. And so how about if we let Paul be our worship leader now in the final four verses of Romans 11. You're there, let's read them. Paul just broke out into worship as this incredible plan just overwhelmed his mind. Verse 33, Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways. For who has known the mind of the Lord or who became his counselor? Or who is first given to him that it might be paid back to him again for from him and through him and to him are all things to him be the glory forever. Amen. And so a little worship there. Let's wrap up our study for this morning now. By going back to John chapter 12 in verse 38, this'll just take a minute or two. I haven't actually read verse 38 yet, but now I'm going to read it. In verse 37, John declared Israel's widespread unbelief. In verse 38 now, John gives us an inspired explanation of that unbelief by pointing us to prophecy. Did that unbelief, did that widespread Jewish unbelief take God by surprise? No. And we've already seen that from Romans chapter 11. Here now in verse 38, we have yet another reason why we can know that Israel's unbelief did not take God by surprise. It was in fact predicted in his word. In verse 38, John looks to prophecy and when he looks to prophecy, he sees there the Jews unbelief. and rejection of Jesus Christ. Let me read verse 37 for you again, and then we'll go from there right through verse 38. The whole statement all together now, but though he had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah, the prophet, which he spoke, Lord, who has believed our report and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed. Israel's unbelief. Here's John's point. Israel's unbelief was predicted by the prophet Isaiah. And where did this quote come from? John is quoting here the first verse of the familiar Isaiah 53. And in that first verse of Isaiah 53 that John quotes here, Isaiah asks two rhetorical questions. Let's look at them and then we're going to wrap this up. Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? You know how rhetorical question works. They have an expected answer. And the expected answer to both of these rhetorical questions is no one. Who has believed our report? No one. As I said before, there was a remnant of believing Jews. God always has his remnant, but that doesn't change the expected answer to these rhetorical questions that Isaiah even spoke of so many hundreds of years ago before. Doesn't change the answer to these rhetorical questions at all. Israel's unbelief was so widespread that it can indeed be referred to as a national unbelief, a national rejection of her Messiah. And what is this report then that Isaiah is referring to? Who's believed our report? What report? Well, the report that Isaiah is referring to, the report that Israel didn't believe was Jesus' message, Jesus' teaching, Jesus' gospel, Jesus' words. We've seen that for 11 chapters now, haven't we? They wouldn't accept and believe his words. And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Isaiah asked. And once again, the answer to that second rhetorical question is, No one. And so now you say, what is the arm? We talked about what the report is. Now you say, what is the arm of the Lord? Well, the arm of the Lord here that Isaiah referred to would be a reference to our Lord's divine power. And even more specifically, it would be a reference to the hundreds and maybe even thousands of miracles that Jesus performed that we talked about earlier today, that all revealed his deity and all revealed his divine power. You know, the Jews all saw the strong arm of the Lord by witnessing all of Jesus' miracles, but they failed and they refused to see and acknowledge what all of those signs were so clearly pointing to. And so as we come to the end of our study today, that's where we're going to quit. Come to the end of our study today, John has declared the inexcusable and widespread unbelief of Israel. Even though Jesus had performed so many signs before them, The Jews would not believe, John says, they were not believing. And did that take God by surprise? Was that a frustration in his plan? Was that a frustration and a failure of God's plan? No, no, no. And a thousand times, no. Israel's unbelief was actually a part of God's plan from the very beginning. Paul has made that clear for us today in Romans chapter 11. And now John has just shown us in verse 38 that Israel's unbelief was right there in the Old Testament scriptures all along, predicted hundreds of years earlier by the prophet Isaiah. Well, here's where we're going next time. Next time, Lord willing, we're going to go on to verses 39 to 41, where John is going to explain for us, I kind of hinted at it earlier, Verses 39 to 41, John is going to explain for you and for me, and for these Jews, a very, very terrifying reality. In these verses, John is going to tell us what happens if you persist in your unbelief like these Jews did. In verses 37 and 38 today, the Jews would not believe, but would you just take a quick look with me at what John says next at the beginning of verse 39? for this reason, what does it say? For this reason, they could not believe. That's what we're going to talk about next time, about living in prayer. Father, like the Jews, we have heard the report. We have heard the message as we have studied this gospel of John, Father. And like the Jews, we've seen the signs that are all pointing to the strong arm of the Lord, the signs, the miracles that are all pointing to the deity of Jesus Christ. But unlike it was for the Jews, Father, my prayer today is that you would use those things to produce in all of us a genuine saving faith. Unlike it was for the Jews, Father, I pray that you would make all of us believing people, worshiping people, faithful and obedient people for your eternal glory. Thank you, Father, for your word, for your people, for the church and for this Lord's Day opportunity. There's always such a joy for us. We love you and we worship you and we pray these things, Father, in Jesus name. Amen.