 Our sermon title this morning is Believe before it's too late Believe before it's too late. This is part two in a sermon that we began a couple of weeks ago in John chapter 12 Our verses 37 through 50 verses 37 through 50 So the Lord Jesus Christ is in Jerusalem. He's in Jerusalem, and it's the week of Passover In Jerusalem during the week of Passover massive crowds have gathered together into Jerusalem to remember God's salvation. They've come to remember the deliverance that God has provided for his people That salvation that deliverance coming when he delivered them from bondage in Egypt the iron furnace And he saved the firstborn sons of Israel by the blood of a sacrificial lamb That event in Israel's history was ordained by God to foreshadow a far greater Deliverance a far greater salvation that salvation when God would save his people not from Pharaoh Not from bondage in Egypt, but from their sin Not from the physical death of the firstborn, but from the spiritual death of torment in hell forever That salvation also by the blood of a sacrificial Lamb the Lord Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who has come to take away the sin of the world The end of John chapter 12 records the end of the Lord's public ministry the hostility against Christ is ramping up He has once again driven the money changers and the merchants out of the temple and his ongoing Confrontation with the religious elite in Israel in Jerusalem specifically has led to the decision of the Sanhedrin to kill him that too many in the crowd Have come to Jerusalem are now confused They're disappointed he has become a confusing and Disappointing symbol of unmet messianic expectations. He's simply not the conquering king that they were looking for They had their eyes set on a short deliverance right on a sub par salvation And John's words and the prologue have been proven true. He has come to his own and his own did not receive him Now there's just a short time left a Short time left before they will crucify their Messiah and the light of this world is snuffed out in verse 35 of chapter 12 The Lord says a little while longer a little while longer the light is with you walk while you have the light Lest darkness overtake you he who walks in darkness does not know where he's going While you have the light Believe in the light that you may become sons of light And these things Jesus spoke and departed and an active judgment on those very words. He was hidden from their sight now this is the last days in the public ministry of Christ come to a short and seemingly Messiah-like end John under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit here in John chapter 12 is compelled to give a biblical Explanation for the rampant unbelief that we've seen Why are there so few who truly believe? Why are these people About to crucify their Messiah? How is all this to be explained? What do we need to think about these things? Especially how are these things to be explained to a Jew? Considering Christianity after the cross How are we to understand these things? Now the first reason that John gives for this unbelief is in verse 37 and it's that unbelief here was prophesied unbelief was prophesied in verse 37 John says but although he had done so many signs before them they did not believe in him So that verse 38 the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled which he spoke Lord Who has believed our report and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed in other words? In Isaiah chapter 53 God said this would happen God said that this would happen Isaiah said he is despised and rejected by men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were Our faces from him. He was despised and we did not esteem him So the first reason that John gives for unbelief is that it was prophesied the second reason that John gives for unbelief is That unbelief is the judgment of God unbelief is the judgment of God verse 39 therefore They could not believe they were unable to believe know why Because Isaiah said again verse 40 he God has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts lest unless Unless they should see with their eyes Unless they should understand with their hearts and turn so that I should heal them Now get the point from this passage of scripture this unbelief that we see in John Is because God has decided that it should be so in other words God said I'm going to blind their spiritual eyes And I'm going to harden their heart Because I'm not going to save them You see This is the judgment of God now. You can't do any grammatical gymnastics with that wording in John chapter 12 verses 39 and 40 That's what the text clearly says You refuse to believe and So God will make sure to it that you don't believe or that you can't believe So many people today are unfamiliar with the Bible Unfamiliar with the teaching of scripture so many churches today Fail to actually teach the Bible and so most people today don't realize that this is what Actually the word of God says they don't realize that God actually does this You refuse to believe you reject you reject you reject And so God will see to it that you can't believe that the word there is unable that you are unable to believe The Jews by and large Rejected God they rejected God's word to them And so God had treated them with grace and treated them with kindness and treated them with Patience treated them with mercy treated them with compassion God gave his word to them and Many said I'm not gonna do it. I will not follow you God I will not have God to rule over me And so in the judgment of God, I will not follow you soon became I cannot follow you There's a third reason that John gives for unbelief here is that true belief is costly The reason that John gives here for unbelief the third reason is that true belief is costly look at verse 40 42 verse 42 nevertheless Even among the rulers many Believed in him now we unpack that statement in the last sermon we know for several reasons that this represents the same kind of superficial Counterfeit of genuine faith that we've seen in John before now. How do we know that one reason is as you go through verse 44 because But because of the Pharisees they did not confess him They say they believe but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him less They should be put out of the synagogue for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God now John exposes their so-called belief as a counterfeit. He exposes their so-called belief as a lie the kind of belief mentioned in verse 42 Falls under the condemnation of the Lord Jesus Christ in John chapter 5 verse 44 where the Lord says How can you believe you who receive honor from one another and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? James brings up this point doesn't he when he says that even the demons believe and they tremble There's a distinctive difference between the belief of a demon and the belief of a Christian What makes your belief? Different than theirs How is it that you believe in a way that is different from the way that the demons believe These three reasons for unbelief are still around today. They're still around today Right first reason unbelief has been prophesied. That's true of us today, right? Second Timothy chapter 3 verse 1 says but know this then in the last days That's those are the days that we're in now right the last days in the last days perilous times will come For men will be lovers of themselves lovers of money boasters proud blasts femurs disobedient to parents Unfaithful unholy unloving unforgiving Slanderers without self-control brutal despisers of good traders headstrong sounds like our country doesn't it sounds like most churches doesn't it? Haughty lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having a form of godliness, but denying its power Second Timothy chapter 4 verse 3 for the time will come it has come today when they will not endure sound doctrine But according to their own desires because they have itching ears They will heap up for themselves Teachers and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables It has been prophesied and we see these texts fulfilled in our own day. Don't we? First reason unbelief has been prophesied the second reason unbelief today is the judgment of God Unbelief today is the judgment of God speaking of unbelievers even in our day Paul said in Romans chapter 1 verse 28 They didn't like to retain God in their knowledge Unbelievers don't like to retain God in their knowledge and so Paul says God gave them over to a debased mind You notice the wording there God Gave them over to a debased mind. This is a judgment of God to do those things which are not fitting being filled with all unrighteousness sexual immorality wickedness Covetousness maliciousness. They're full of envy murder strife deceit evil mindedness. They are whisperers Backbiter's haters of God violent proud boasters inventors of evil things. Wow this list, right? disobedience of parents undiscerning untrustworthy unloving unforgiving unmerciful who Knowing the righteous judgment of God that those who practice such things are deserving of death not only do The same but also approve of those who practice them Proverbs chapter 1 verse 29 because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord They would have none of my counsel God said and they despised my every rebuke Therefore in the judgment of God they shall eat the fruit of their own way and be filled to the full with their own fancies It's a judgment of God, but the third reason Unbelief is everywhere today because genuine belief is costly Genuine belief is costly genuine believers true believers in Christ are Those who turn from their sin who turn to Christ in faith and forsake all To follow Christ according to Luke chapter 9 verse 23 Genuine believers are those who deny themselves They take up their cross daily and they actually Follow Christ in obedience to his commands So few actually do that today Because it's going to cost you something It's going to cost you Most professing Christians today are superficial hypocritical fakes The modern day so-called church Has turned this kind of unbelief into a multi-billion dollar industry They've packaged this unbelief and they are selling it to the masses and the masses are gobbling it up Paul prophesied that in the last days perilous times would come And the men would be lovers of themselves and lovers of money And so the so-called modern day professing church today preaches and often by its silence That you're not an object of God's wrath You're not condemned already You love yourself. Well, that's great news because God loves you too And he has a wonderful plan for your life. You can have everything you want including heaven They'll entertain you. They'll be careful never to offend you Right Paul said that the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine And so most churches today don't teach doctrine Paul said that unbelievers don't like to retain God and their knowledge And so the church today teaches that you're a Christian Even though you very seldom ever think of him Very seldom ever pray to him you care little to know him you care even less about his word And explains why you're why you're still biblically illiterate although you've been a Christian for years And then he goes on to describe the congregations of most churches filled with all unrighteousness sexual immorality wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder strife deceit evil mindedness. They are whisperers backbiter's haters of God modern-day so-called church is packaged unbelief Attempting to make it look like Real genuine true saving faith and they're selling that package to the masses And the masses are eating it up People are eating aren't they they're eating it up See the rise of the mega church in our country people are eating this stuff up by the fount by the millions millions Jeremiah chapter 5 verse 30 God says listen to this An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land The prophets prophesy falsely The priests rule by their own power And my people love to have it so But then he answers that a very important question at the end of his statement He asks but what will you do in the end? What will you do in the end? All of that is like Cotton candy that you swallow down believing somehow it's going to cure your terminal cancer What are you going to do in the end? What are you going to do when you're standing at death's door? Here specifically what are you going to do when you stand before God with your mouth full of that cotton candy? Everybody has an opinion about how to get to heaven And they believe that they're right Your beliefs are going to get you to hell unless you believe lined up with what scripture teaches You know years out witnessing you know one person after another one person after another witnessing if you've been out of angelizing You know exactly what i'm talking about one person after another just regurgitating what they've taught what they've been taught Regurgitating what they believe quote unquote How do you know that you're saved? How do you know that you're saved? I prayed and asked Jesus in my heart Where's that in the bible? How do you know that you're saved? I'm a good person. I'm a good person and I've asked for forgiveness How do you know that you're saved? I believe that God is with me and he's not against me How do you know that you're saved? God knows what's in my heart. He knows what's in my heart Yes, he does How do you know that you're saved? Why spoken tongues? How do you know that you're saved? I've done the best that I could Very few people today actually know what the bible teaches very few people actually know what the bible teaches So as john closes out chapter 12 He records here in chapter 12 a brief statement from the lord jesus christ beginning in verse 44 Now it's a statement on what it means to truly believe It's a statement on what it means to be truly and genuinely saved Woven into this statement are also the consequences of unbelief It's a statement on what it means to be truly a believer to be genuinely saved But also you'll see here consequences of unbelief the first point that I want you to see beginning in verse 44 Is that you must believe in who he is? You must believe in who he is we're going to build through the course of the next 45 minutes or so A biblical theology of faith a biblical theology of biblical belief What does it mean to believe the lord jesus christ calls you to believe john says i've written these things So that you may believe that he is the christ the son of god and that believing you might have life in his name What does it mean to believe in christ verse 44? Then jesus cried out and he said He who believes in me Believes not in me, but in him who sent me And he who sees me sees him who sent me I have come as a light into the world that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness As jesus opens with these words. He's likely in the temple Right in the temple complex in the temple area and he cries out with a loud voice. This is open air preaching Right, this is maximum volume maximum reach. He's using his big boy voice Okay, and he's said to have cried out like this here in the temple In the same way that he cried out in john chapter seven at the feast of tabernacles and open air Proclamation of the gospel the only other times that the lord is said to have cried out this way There are two times at the cross And there's one other time when he cried out at the tomb of lazarus We've been through that passage together Here and in john chapter seven. He is preaching In the temple complex now. This is forceful It's authoritative and it's passionate. Isn't it he cries out. It's passionate the lord crying out in the temple Ahead of his death for men to turn to him to be saved from the wrath of god This is him pleading with the people to be saved Pleading with the proclamation of the gospel for people to turn from their sin and flee the wrath that is coming Now let's unpack then the content of what he's saying here The lord makes three basic statements here about who he is Three statements about who he is the first statement is in verse 44. He is god's sent representative He is god's sent representative the second of the three statements Is in verse 45 He is god's sent representation God's sent representation And in verse 46.3. He is god's sent revelation He is god's sent representative god sent representation and he is god sent Revelation let's look at the first one together in verse 44. He is god's sent representative In verse 44 Jesus cried out and said he who believes in me believes not in me, but in him who sent me this statement Is actually a jewish maxim. It's a jewish maxim or a statement of truth The person sent what's being communicated is that the person who is sent Is as the one who sent him. He's a perfect ambassador, right a perfect representative The person sent is as the one who sent him the grammar of the maxim Also speaks of representation. It could also be worded this way He who believes in me Believes not only or not merely in me But also or even principally in him who sent me. Do you see? The same idea is expressed in john 13. Just flip the page to john 13 and look down at verse 20 John 13 look at verse 20 Here the lord said most assuredly I say to you He who receives whomever I send receives me and he who receives me receives him who sent me It's the same concept. Okay. It's a concept of representation representation Jesus is saying here in john chapter 12 I am the perfect representative of god the father To believe in me. Jesus is saying is to believe in him You believe me you believe in the one who sent me that means to hear from christ Is to hear from god It also means that to come to god Is to come through christ flip one more page and look at john chapter 14 john chapter 14 Let's look at the implications of this representation beginning in verse one, right John 14 verse one He is god's sent representative to man a perfect representation of the father verse one says Let not your heart be troubled You believe in god believe also in me In my father's house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place For you verse three and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am there. You may be also Where I go You know and the way you know Thomas said to him lord We don't know where you're going. How can we know the way? Jesus said to him listen. I am the way The truth and the life the perfect representation of the father So no one comes to the father except through me in other words. I represent the father to you There is no other Savior there is no other path to god. There is no other option For man there is no other name given among men under heaven by which we must be saved, right? No one comes to the father except through me look at verse seven If you had actually known me Then you would have known my father also same concept, right? And from now on you know him and have seen him. So philips said to him lord Show us the father and it is sufficient for us But jesus said to him verse nine. Have I been with you so long philip and yet you have not known me? He who has seen me has seen the father. So how can you say show us the father? Do you not believe that I am in the father and the father in me? The words that I speak to you. I do not speak on my own authority But the father who dwells in me does the works Believe me that I am in the father and the father in me or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves all that and john 14 Points us to our second point about who he is the first point He is a perfect representation of the father second point in verse 45. He is god's set representation He is god's sent representation verse 45 says And he who sees me Sees him who sent me we see that in john chapter 14 verse nine, right? He who has seen me has seen the father in verse 45 john chapter 12 verse 45 The verb sees there is present tense Means it's an ongoing perpetual truth. It's ongoing if you see christ You see the father carries the sense of whoever looks on me Jesus says is at the same time in reality Actually looking on god the father and jesus christ is god in the flesh John chapter 10 verse 30 the lord makes the statement i and the father are one I and my father are one. We saw this concept in john chapter 14 verse nine with thomas But it's also true for us today As you look at the pages of your bible Right as you study the word of god as you look through these texts You see christ on the pages of scripture, don't you? In scripture, it's not just here talking about viewing his physical form But it's talking about seeing christ. We see his heart Don't we we see his authority We see his passion We see his wisdom His compassion we see his mercy We see his righteous indignation against sin No, we we see in christ on the pages of the bible an exact representation of the father Colossians chapter 1 verse 15 says that he is the image of the invisible god Hebrews chapter 1 verse 1 Listen to the author of the letter to the Hebrews god Who at various times and in various ways Spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets has in these last days spoken to us by his son Whom he has appointed heir of all things through whom he also made the worlds Who christ being the brightness of his glory and the express Image of his person Upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high Having become so much better than the angels as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they He is the express Image of the person of god now He's the perfect represent representative of god and he is the perfect representation of god his express Image he is the perfect representative of god and all that he says and all that he does He's the perfect representation of god being the express image of his person Fully god and yet distinct from the father Christ is the exact representation of god's nature. It says there that he's the brightness of his glory, right? So as god the father is the son The lord jesus christ are the beams of his glory, right the sun beams the radiating light from the glory of god Hebrews 1 Points us then to the third statement about who christ is back in john chapter 12 The third statement about who christ is In verse 46 he is god's sent revelation God's revelation to the world verse 46 The lord says i have come as a light into the world That whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness I think about very simply what a light is intended to do A light is intended to illuminate right to illumin Jesus christ has come as a light Into the world who? Is jesus christ illuminating? He's illuminating god the father He is the light god's light to this dark world. He's illuminating god the father jesus christ is the Revealer of god Now how so how so think about it? As we learn And as we meditate on The person and work of the lord jesus christ We come to know god don't we? as you think about the person And the work of the lord jesus christ we know what god is like As we look at the work of the lord jesus christ on the on the cross We see the love of god Don't we so we think about the work of the lord jesus christ on the cross We see the justice Of god in the cross The justice of god we see god's hatred for sin We see god's mercy to man As we look at the perfect life of the lord jesus christ we see the holiness of god As we look At those whom the lord saves we see the mercy of god the power of god when we look at christ we see god And so think about put it those three points together Christ is the perfect representative of god christ is the perfect perfect representation of god and christ is god's perfect revelation to man That means then As the lord is stating in john chapter 12 verses 44 45 and 46 That faith in christ is not simply Faith or trust in just another man That's why the Mormons and the jahovah's witnesses have this so wrong And if you do not believe that i am jesus says you will die in your sins Faith in christ is not simply faith Or trust in just another created being just another created man. It's not even faith Simply in another prophet of god But faith in christ as communicated here in verses 44 45 and 46 Faith in christ is indeed faith in god. Do you see? Mediated that faith mediated by god's perfect and preeminent Self revelation in his son our lord the lord jesus christ Now why then was he sent by the father? Why was he sent by the father? Well, he explains the purpose of his coming at the end of verse 46. Look at the end of verse 46 so that Whoever believes in me Should not abide in darkness of the grace and mercy of god in providing salvation for his people That whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness Apart from saving faith right apart from genuine biblical belief in the lord jesus christ You are abiding in darkness Apart from christ you are abiding in darkness Jesus says you don't believe in me You're in darkness And what does it mean to abide in darkness? Flip a few pages back to john chapter 3 John chapter 3. What does it mean? To abide in darkness Hope you're beginning to put all this together. Just keep putting it together as we work through the text Keep putting it together We want to apply this to our life Look at john chapter 3 Look down beginning at verse 16 John chapter 3 verse 16. What does it mean to abide? in darkness Verse 16 says this for god so loved the world That he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life You see there again the command the exhortation the call to believe in christ for everlasting life right look at verse 17 For god did not send his son into the world to condemn the world But that the world through him might be saved you see similarities between this text and john chapter 12 John chapter 12 becomes in essence a summary of the gospel a summary of the lord's teaching Verse 18 He who again here it is again. He who believes in him is not condemned But he who does not believe is condemned already Because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of god Listen, here's what abiding in darkness looks like verse 19 And this is the condemnation That light has come into the world And men loved darkness Rather than the light because their deeds were evil Verse 20 for everyone practicing evil hates the light It does not come to the light less his deeds should be exposed But he who does the truth comes to the light that his deeds may be clearly seen that they have been done In god How do you know that you're abiding in darkness? How do you know that you're abiding in darkness because you love darkness? Because you love darkness verse 19. Here's the condemnation, right? This is the condemnation that hangs over your head if you're not genuinely and truly and biblically in christ If you've not been united to him through repentance and faith This is what hangs over your head. This is the condemnation. Here it is The light The revealer of god god's perfect representative his perfect representation His perfect revelation to man has come into the world That light reveals god in all his glory in all his splendor But also in all his holiness and all his grace and all his mercy and in his justice And in his condemnation and this is the condemnation that light has come into the world revealing god for who he is and men Loved darkness rather than the light god reveals himself to sinful man and what does sinful man do They love their darkness. They love their own lives. They love their own what their own way And they exclude they disregard they disrespect they shove off any revelation of god And they would take to themselves their own way their own lives men love their darkness Rather than the light that god has brought into the world. You see That has It's justifiable that that is condemned. Isn't it? God created you How is it that you would not live wholeheartedly for him? How is it that you will spurn the grace and mercy of god in the light that has come into the world? With your unbelief why because you just love your darkness. That's why you love your sin. Look at verse 20 Everyone practicing evil That's all of those outside of christ if you're not in christ, you are practicing evil Even the good that you do isaas says is has a filthy rag to god It's not done by faith in him for his glory, but it's done for yourself How many times have you quote unquote done good works because of the way that it makes you feel Makes me feel good Put your thumbs under your overall straps. You walk around strut your stuff. Look how good I am right You're practicing evil Those things aren't done for god's glory. Those things are done for your glory Why do we have wicked wicked men who become great philanthropists? Because they're glorifying themselves and they're giving We're not glorifying god Everyone practicing this evil everyone outside of christ is a god hater Everyone practicing evil hates the light and they don't want to come into the light unless their deeds should be exposed But listen verse 21 he who does the truth Comes to the light I want to please god all my heart all my soul all my mind all my strength I want to please him who made me and even more yet gave himself to redeem me So I want to please him everyone who does the truth comes to the light And embraces the light and loves the light and cherishes the light and treasures the light and lives in the life And walks in the light that his deeds may be clearly seen that they have been done in god because Every genuine believer does that lives that way for the glory of god We want to see god glorified in our lives right glorified in our actions glorified in our thoughts How do you know that you're abiding in darkness because you love darkness? How do you know that you're abiding in darkness because you make a practice of evil? You love the things of this world The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life You've made a practice of your anger You've made a practice of your selfishness you've made a practice of your drunkenness You've made a practice of your lies. You've made a practice of your pornography. You've made a practice of your greed You love darkness and so the things of god just have No interest to you They're not compelling to you. You have no interest in the light of god's word the light of his gospel or the light of his church So what do you do? Then how do you react when someone comes along to you right? They come to you And they share the light of god's word with you Right they they they illumine You how do you respond? They expose your darkness To the truth of god's light Well you hate the light and so you get defensive You get angry You shove it off you do whatever you can in your life to keep that thing 10 foot away from you right your 10 foot pole You try and justify yourself you become self-righteous You get defensive you get angry What did jesus say jesus said they hated him? Why They hated him because he testified of the world that its deeds are evil And they crucified him for it they crucified him for it That's why the the the gospel today is still hated and despised in this world That's why you can't turn on your tv anymore without seeing just a blatant overt rejection of the things of god Because it is a light that has illumined the evil in this world And men hate the light Apart from christ you abide in darkness So what must you do? What must you do then? Lord here in great grace in great mercy is proclaiming light He is the light. He is illuminating the grace and mercy of god and the gospel What must you do? What's the remedy? How can you be saved? How can you be how can you be saved? How can you flee the wrath of god that is coming and judgment on this world that is condemned already? Because it hasn't believed in the light. What are you to do? You're to repent You're to turn from that sin Turn from the error of your way Turn from living life for yourself And believe upon the lord jesus christ again What does that mean to believe in him one as we've already covered it's believing who he is believing god supreme self revelation Humbling yourself humble yourself to come to him in light with all of your filth being exposed And believing god's revelation of him as well as god's revelation of who you are Secondly, you need to believe in what he said. You need to believe in what he said verse 47 John chapter 12 verse 47 believe in what he has said The lord says and if anyone hears my words and does not believe I do not judge him For I did not come to judge the world but to save the world He who rejects me verse 48 and does not receive my words has that which judges him the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day Second point is you must believe who he is Jesus said if you do not believe that I am you will die in your sins And You must believe in what he has said Jesus christ is the express image of the person of god the father He is god supreme revelation to man and the lord's words Are the words of god the father in chapter 12 verse 49 for I have not spoken on my own authority But the father who sent me gave me a command what I should say and what I should speak In john chapter 1 verse 1 john says this in the beginning was the Was the word right and the word was with god and the word was god He's calling jesus christ here the word of god He was in the beginning with god all things were made through him and without him nothing was made that was made In him was life and the life was the light of men the light shines in the darkness in the darkness He did not comprehend it later john would say in the same chapter that the word Became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth As the revelation of god the word of god The lord's mission in coming Was not to condemn Right put that together with john chapter 3 world is condemned already You were born in sin As a son of adam You're condemned already The mission of the lord jesus christ was not to come to condemn the world, but he comes into the world to save the world And john says these things are written that you might believe in him Jesus says I came to seek and to save that which is lost verse 47 I did not come to judge the world but to save the world Condemnation already hangs over the head of all people outside of christ, right The verdict is in The sentencing phase is already complete And they await execution Apart from the lord jesus christ you are under a death sentence You're under a death sentence The only hope for you Is that there's a pardon But there's a pardon and jesus has come to preach a pardon for sin Liberty to the captives now look at verse 47 and 48 I want you to see This pardon is offered by grace through faith and you must believe his word And what does it mean to believe what he has said to believe his word? Verse 47 if anyone hears Right, anyone hears verse 48. He rejects me and does not receive my words. Look at those two words Here and receive and I want to show you depict this for you in the gospel of john Flip a few pages back to the left of john chapter 8 John chapter 8 And what does it mean to believe to truly believe in what he has said? It means that you both hear and what does it mean to hear means that you receive What does it mean to receive? We'll see that in john chapter 8 and look down beginning at verse 31 This is the connection. I want to make this connection for you between hearing and doing John chapter 8 verse 31 And jesus said to those jews who believed him If you abide in my word You are my disciples indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free What does it mean to abide? In his word hear his word Receive his word now the lord says abide in his word. But what does all this mean look at verse 33 They answered him We're abraham's descendants and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say you'll be made free? Well, jesus answered them most assuredly. I say to you Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever Therefore if the son makes you free you shall be free indeed He contrasts freedom in christ with slavery A slave is a slave to sin Slave to sin is one who practices sin if the son makes you free you shall be free indeed. Look at verse 37 I know that you're abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill me because my word has no place in you They're not abiding in his word. So what are they doing? They're seeking to kill him Right connecting life with his word what you do with what you hear look at verse 39 or verse 38 I speak what I've seen with my father and you do What you have seen with your father They answered and said to him abraham is our father Jesus said to them if you were abraham's children, listen, you would do the works of abraham But now you seek to kill me a man who has told you the truth See how doing And telling right hearing and doing how it's all connected together I've told you the truth which I heard from god abraham did not do this you do the deeds of your father They said to him. We are not born of fornication. We have one father god Jesus said to them listen If god were your father you would love me For I proceeded forth and came from god nor have I come of myself, but he sent me Why do you not understand my speech? Why is that because you are not able very interesting? They are not able not able not able to hear to listen to my word You are of your father the devil and the desires of your father you want to do He was a murderer from the beginning Does not stand in the truth of god's word because there is no truth in him when he speaks a lie He speaks from his from his own resources for he's a liar and the father of it But because I tell the truth you do not believe me Which of you convicts me of sin and I if I tell you the truth, why do you not believe me? What is the evidence of their unbelief the fact that they don't do What he says the fact that they don't do What he says they're not born of their father god They're not doing the works of god the will of god They're born of their father the devil and so they do that which their father has done He who is of god listen. He who is of god hears gods words Therefore you do not hear because you are not of god Making that connection between hearing and doing to believe in the lord jesus christ to believe in what he has said is to hear and receive And abide and obey what he has said Lord jesus christ says who is it that loves me? He who keeps my commandments keeps my commandments The ultimate consequence of unbelief is judgment The ultimate consequence of unbelief is judgment look at verse 48 back in john chapter 12 verse 48 the lord says He didn't come to condemn the world world was condemned already. He didn't come to judge the world at this point He's come for the purpose of seeking and saving that which is lost but verse 48 He who rejects me He who does not receive my words Has that Which judges him the word that i have spoken will judge him in the last day The word of god comes right the word of the lord jesus christ god's perfect representation God's perfect revelation comes to you. It's coming to you now. It's coming to you now You can hear and receive Turn from sin faith in christ and obey and live for him If you do not if you reject it Judgment is the consequence He didn't come to judge the world But by virtue of his bringing his revelation to you if you reject that revelation The consequence is judgment The christ will come back in the last day to judge the world And his judgment is not arbitrary like The god of islam It's not arbitrary His judgment is according to his word His perfect Unchangeable word will judge you It's already set in stone and it's set in stone in this book His word his words and that's not Very if you look at verse 48 The word there for words Is the word rama Which means his actual words not merely the concepts His actual word will judge you The word for reject he who rejects me means to set aside Or to disregard some people perceive in that statement he who rejects me meaning that I need to like verbally and physically know jesus christ. I don't want to have anything to do with you No, no, that's not what it means He who rejects me merely means to set it aside Or to disregard it disregard it Light has come into the world because light has come into the world You and I are responsible to respond to that truth You and I are responsible to respond to that reality You're not left in a neutral position. There is no neutral position There is no position between black and white Right, you must receive and respond and hear and abide and obey If you don't do that, then you by default are setting aside disregarding rejecting and that leads to judgment You think about it this way as an example You set aside or disregard a law in our country, right as you're driving down the road You set aside or disregard the speed limit these can be acts of commission Or acts of omission, right? You set aside or disregard the laws in our country about paying your taxes An act of omission you don't do That which you've been commanded by our government to do. What do they call that? Call it tax evasion You can be arrested for that and put in jail Right, you commit a crime in our country either commission or omission. You're arrested and you go before the judge The judge there is presiding over the court case, but it's the law That testifies against you It's the law that testifies against you Here's what the law says and here's what you've done You're pronounced guilty having been judged by the word judged by the law. Amen Works the same way. This is his word to you today. We're hearing the word of God today out of his word Out of his word and his word even this very sermon Will stand in judgment Against you in that day if you set it aside or disregarded or neglect it or reject it This is the authority of God's word. It's not my my authority not what I say or what I think This is the word of God And if you set it aside if you neglect it if you reject it if you disregard it This word will judge you in that day. It will stand as a testimony against you I want you to see That word Whether it's received or not is confirmed then in your works His word comes to you in the form of a command You have then The opportunity to receive to hear to obey to abide in that Or to reject to set it aside to disregard it. What will you do? His word to you comes today This word then is confirmed In your response to it how you live what you do how you live your life It's confirmed by how you live bears witness It bears witness to what you believe about that word If you believe it you obey it You abiding it you adhere to it if you Reject it you don't believe it, right? I want to put that together for you turn I want to go through three texts with you very quickly very quickly I want to make this connection for you turn first to james chapter 2 James chapter 2 To hear and to receive his words verse 47 and 48 and john chapter 12 Is to do is to live is to obey is to abide And that's illustrated for us for example first text is james chapter 2 look down at verse 14 James chapter 2 beginning in verse 14 Now let this sink in verse 14. What is the prophet my brethren? If someone says yes faith if someone says I believe But he doesn't have works Can that kind of faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked destitute of daily food and one of you says to them depart in peace be warm be filled But you do not give them the things which are needed for the body. What does it profit? Thus also faith By itself If it does not have works is dead Listen, you say you believe but if you don't back it up with a christian life If you don't back it up with action back it up with works This isn't a salvation By works This is a salvation That works This is a true saving faith that produces Genuine biblical fruit. All right But someone will say verse 18. Listen. You have faith. I have works. Say we're having a conversation, right? We're having a conversation. You have faith I have works And I would say to you Show me your faith Without your works. Can you do it? No It's impossible I can't see it taste it touch it feel it. What's faith? I can't see it You show your faith by your works. That's the point he's making here Show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works first 19 You believe there is one god you do well even the demons believe and tremble But do you want to know oh foolish man that faith without works is dead? Was not abraham our father Justify was not his faith affirmed Was not his faith confirmed by works when he offered isaac his son on the altar You know the story from the old testament, right? What led abraham to the top of that mountain with his son and a knife in his hand? Faith in god Trust in god He believed God and he lived like it go with me quickly to matthew chapter 25 matthew chapter 25 This word is going to judge you in the last day This word Before the great judge of all the earth the lord jesus christ Will judge you in the last day matthew chapter 25 and it's going to be this a judgment based on what you have done based on your works so as if the lord looks right and The lord knows the heart the lord looks on the heart the lord knows your faith whether you have it or don't But the lord looks for the confirming works of your faith and it's by his law According to those works that he judges you we see that really clearly in matthew chapter 25 and look down beginning at verse 31 Verse 31 the lord says when the son of man comes in his glory And all the holy angels with him Then he will sit on the throne of his glory and all the nations and this is what's going to happen This is what is going to happen. This is coming All the nations will be gathered before him and he'll separate them one from another as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats He'll set the sheep on his right hand But the goats on his left then the king will say to those on his right hand come you blessed of my father Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Because look at verse 35. I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty You gave me drink. I was a stranger. You took me in. I was naked. You clothed me I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. You say wait a minute. Wait a minute now I thought the salvation was by grace alone through faith alone in christ alone. And what's all this about Doing these things and because you did these things now you can come into heaven and be with me What's that all about? This is his word. Is it not I didn't come and scribble that in your bible overnight It's because these works Affirm and confirm the presence of genuine true real saving faith The grace of god that comes to you is a grace that is full of power Right god Indwells you with his holy spirit when you're genuinely saved And by virtue of his grace at work in you by virtue of his indwelling holy spirit You by the grace of god in the power of the spirit live for him You obey him the fruit of your life because becomes a life lived in obedience to the lord And so you do these things you see him hungry. You give him food You see him thirsty. You give him drink. They asked him verse 37 lord When did we see you hungry and feed you? When did we see you thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and take you in or naked and cloth you? When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you and the king The lord jesus christ will answer and say to them assuredly i say to you In as much as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren you did it to me You did it to me verse 41 but then He'll also say to those goats on the left hand Depart from me you cursed Into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels Because verse 42 i was hungry. You gave me no food. I was thirsty. You gave me no drink I was a stranger. You did not take me in naked. You did not clothe me and in prison And you did not visit me Then they're gonna answer him in desperation You know pleading right crying out to justify themselves because they've lived in darkness their deeds were evil Lord when do we see you hungry or thirsty or strange? You see the reversal of the perspective right the reversal of the perspective When do we see you naked or sick or in prison? It did not minister to you He'll answer to them saying assuredly I say to you in as much as you did not do it to one of the least of these You did not do it to me and these will go away into everlasting punishment But the righteous into eternal life The judgment of god and it's a judgment according to your works turn to revelation chapter 20 relation chapter 20 if you find That it is impossible For you to live the christian life In and of yourself It's because it is This is a work of god in the heart of man And if you don't have this resulting fruit then you must be born again You must cry out to god to produce it in you Humble yourself and throw yourself at the cross Plead with christ to change your heart to indwell you with his spirit and to cause you by his grace and mercy to you To walk in his judgments and do them Revelation chapter 20 look at verse 11. I saw a great white throne And him who sat on it. This is coming. This is coming soon There'll be a great white throne him who sat on it. That's the lord jesus christ From his face the earth and the heaven fled away. This is at the the uncreation of all things All things will melt with a fervent heat all things that we see will be destroyed And I saw the dead Small and great Standing before god that's kings and presidents and princes and nobody's like me right nobody's like you And the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead Were judged according to their works by the things which were written in the books by his word By his word his word testifies against them We can't confuse these concepts Saved by grace through faith Judged by works great now and our minion can't put those things together Can't put them together Saved by grace through faith, but you're judged According to your works Now why isn't it that you are saved then by your works because those works aren't produced by you You're saved by grace through faith and then god himself produces the works in you What has the church done today they have stripped the gospel Of all of its miracle wonder working power to change a life By saying you can be a christian and live however you want to live be a christian live however you want to live They have stripped the gospel of this power Saved by grace through faith judged by your works those works produced in god In you by his spirit They were judged according to their their works by the things which were written in the books verse 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it Death and hades delivered up the dead who were in them and they were judged Each one according to his works each one of you Each one of us Judged according to our works Then death and hades were cast in the lake of fire This is the second death and anyone not found written in the book of life. What was that book written? What was that written that book of life? What was that written before the foundation of the world? Anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire Think for a moment think for a moment About all the arguments That will be made At the great white throne judgment By men standing before christ in judgment Think about all the arguments Far worse right this is far worse far worse than Marching the path to the gallows where you're about to hang Far worse right far worse than the the anxiety angst that would come upon you If you were marched to the block where you'd place your head To be chopped off far worse Or because this is eternity This is eternity. This is heaven or hell far worse far worse than The anxiety of walking down the hallway to go see a boss that you know is about to fire you right far worse far worse than facing a Spurned wife or a spurned husband far worse far worse You know, this is for eternity. This is eternal torment eternal torment facing the blackness of darkness forever What kind of excuses Right will be shouted will be pled before the throne What kind of arguments will be made i've been a good person Lord i've been a good person Haven't my is it my good i'll wait my bad I've tried the best i could i've did everything i could How many good things have i done god please? Right desperation I didn't do anything truly awful god. I never stole a car Thought about it. I didn't physically murder anyone I was angry all the time. I'm a good person But jesus commanded you shall love the lord your god all your soul It'll be his word. It'll be that word that judges you you see The commandment of god is not to be a good person The commandment of god is to be a perfect person lord I said the sinners prayer and listen. I meant it. I meant it in my heart Jesus didn't command you to say a prayer in that sense. Jesus commanded you to repent and believe in the gospel Lord i went to cornerstone baptist church That church preached the gospel Those people love the lord Look at all i did there in your name. I went out witnessing with those brothers and sisters I went to church with those brothers and sisters. I fellowshiped on sundays But jesus says i will declare to you i never knew you depart from a you who practice Lawlessness do you see what it comes down to? Works produced in faith Works produced in faith you're judged according to your works whoever hears these sayings of mind jesus says and what? Does them and does them i will liken him to a wise man who built his house upon the rock That's why you can't come to a sermon like this or can't come to a church like this Can't sit before the word of god like this and walk away and not do anything You can't come on christmas and easter only and placate a guilty conscience and think you're right before god. You're nuts You'll face god in judgment and it'll be according to your works and his judgment is just Paul says that the undeniable proof of all this is the resurrection It's the resurrection the proof of all this is the resurrection acts chapter 17 verse 30 Truly these times of ignorance god is overlooked, but now what does he do? He commands but now commands all men everywhere to what? To repent that's right because he has appointed a day It's this day that we're talking about he has appointed a day on which he will judge the world In righteousness by the man whom he has ordained and he has given assurance of this To all by raising him from the dead You want to know that judgment is coming? Look at the resurrection You want to know that judgment is coming look at the fact that god has raised the lord jesus christ from the dead 32 when they heard of the resurrection of the dead some mocked While others said we'll hear you again on this matter What's your response going to be do you mock at these things? You just justify yourself. You're arguing with me in your mind right now just arguing in your mind, right? No, no, no, no, no. It's it's that's not what this is all about This is the word of god people Or are you going to hear him? Remember the flood right remember the flood God has already destroyed this wicked world with a flood. He's soon going to judge this world with fire Act 17 makes a suitable transition to our third point right one. You must believe who he is two You must believe what he has said three you must believe in obedience to his command In obedience to his command verse 49 says for I have not spoken of my own authority But the father who sent me gave me a command what I should say and what I should speak And I know that his command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak just as the father has told me so I speak Notice that Jesus doesn't merely speak on his own He speaks for the father. I am the father or one Jesus said Notice in verse 49 first that the Lord doesn't give an invitation Right, he gives a command It's not wrong to invite people to believe the gospel But this is a command of God the gospel is a command the gospel comes with a command The father has given him a command to speak and that command is for us verse 50 his command is everlasting life Truly these times of ignorance God has overlooked but now commands all men everywhere to repent a commandment By virtue of its very nature requires obedience. It is a commandment. The response is obedience It's not something that you can ignore. It's not something that you can disregard or set aside Okay, it's not something that you can delay Delayed obedience is what? Disobedience it's not something that you can delay. It's not something that you can avoid Jesus Christ is lord and he commands that you turn from sin and trust him alone You can hear the word of God and not keep it, right? You can hear the word of God and not keep it Jesus asked who is he who loves me he who keeps my commandments Remember verse 39 remember verse 39 I will not Eventually becomes I cannot By the judgment of God That's why it's such foolishness for people to think that they can come to christ anytime they want to What an absurd foolishness to think that on your deathbed you're going to give your life to christ. What a fool What a fool that's not what the bible teaches. It's not going to work that way The that thinking is the fruit of really bad arminian theology That thinking is the fruit of really bad theology The fruit of the gospel Vindicates the wisdom of this command false religion Just leads to confusion. It leads to mindless heartless ritual. It leads to death You can look on the news every day and see false religion leading to death You can live you can look at quote-unquote past christian quote-unquote history. Those aren't christians That false religion leads to death leads to confusion It leads to everlasting punishment Ultimately, it brings judgment Verse 50 makes clear that truth Genuine christianity true saving faith brings everlasting life The command of god leads to change lives leads to joy and peace and everlasting life That's the truth that's before you this morning That's the truth that god presents to you this morning The evidence for that The evidence for that is the person and work of the lord jesus christ Look to christ believe in who he is Believe in what he has said Believe in him believe in the lord jesus christ who took the form of a man He came to the earth Humboldt himself making himself of no reputation came in the form of a bond slave Lived a perfect Sinless life Fulfilling the demands of god's law that you and i could not fulfill We couldn't meet up to that standard the lord jesus christ did living a perfect life. He goes to the cross Having lived a perfect life now becoming a becoming a perfect sacrifice The lord jesus christ humbles himself to the point of death even the death of the cross And he dies paying the penalty that you and i rightly deserve He dies taking your punishment If you repent and believe in the gospel So that by the grace of god and sending christ Through faith in him and trusting ourselves to him We can have his righteous perfect life his righteousness imputed credited to us Our sin imputed credited to him He bears the penalty for that we bear the blessing of his righteousness We inherit The blessing of his perfection So that we can be right with god and be in heaven Declared innocent innocent of all our crimes against him And by grace through faith have everlasting life what grace right what mercy You'll own up to who you are apart from him Humble yourself and turn to him turn from your sin turn to him in faith This is the final call back in john chapter 12. This is the final call to unbelievers, so to speak in john chapter 12 The public ministry of the lord jesus christ is coming to a close Their time is up is your time up Is your time up I will not Eventually becomes i cannot You can believe all the right facts about the lord jesus christ and beyond your way to hell You can know all the right things about the lord jesus christ and be eternally damned You can think you're right all day long and that won't matter when you stand before god What will you do with what you have heard theologians for years Have talked about genuine saving faith in three components three components, right? The first is latin word noticia it's knowledge Knowledge do you believe these things these are the truths that have been presented? Do you believe these things knowledge you have a knowledge of these things? Second fact component of genuine saving faith is a census or a scent Do you believe in what you have heard? Do you trust in what you have heard? Do you know that what you have heard is right? Do you believe it? The third component of genuine saving faith is fiducia. It's fiducia faithfulness. It's commitment. It's trust You know these things you believe these things and so now you live in accord with them modern church has Essentially in many cases modern professing church has abandoned a third component They've abandoned it in lawlessness Antonomianism and the easy believism will you entrust yourself to him and live In accord with what you say you believe You'll be judged according to that in that day When the lord jesus christ Comes back and executes judgment on all the ungodly according to their works He offers to you today an opportunity to turn An opportunity to turn from your sin and to entrust yourself to him So foolish not to amen So foolish not to Give your life to him repent believe in the gospel. Let's pray father in heaven Or do we acknowledge that We're all born in adam You've said that in sin Our mothers conceived us We're brought forth in iniquity And we are dead in trespasses In and of ourselves lord, we are incapable But you have commanded Your word has gone out in righteousness You have sworn by yourself That every knee will bow and every tongue will take an oath I pray god that you You alone who are able to do that work in the heart Would do it for your glory God that you would transform hearts minds You take out that heart of stone replace it with a heart of flesh But this morning you would bring Sinners from death to life and dwell them with your spirit make them trophies of your grace That for your name They would Produce fruits of genuine saving faith These works nor that you prepared they should walk in them from before the foundation of the world For your name for your glory it's a testimony of your grace and your mercy The power of the gospel to save and transform the center Praise you and thank you for these truths god. I pray that It wouldn't be left unchanged by them knowing god that We have the word that will judge us in that day You've offered this one in such grace and such love and such compassion and such mercy to us Help us even now god by your spirit to receive it to hear it And to do it We love you lord in jesus name