Why Jesus?

Text: Matthew 4:12-17                                               12/3/2017

Main Point: Jesus is the answer to darkness and death.

 

Elon Musk has it all. If you don’t know the name, Elon Musk is one of the only people in history to start four billion-dollar companies: PayPal, Tesla, SpaceX, and Solar City. But after breaking up with his latest girlfriend, Musk has no one with whom to share his luxurious lifestyle. Musk is 46 and in a Rolling Stone article says, “Being in a big empty house, and the footsteps echoing through the hallway, no one there—and no one on the pillow next to you. How do you make yourself happy in a situation like that?” The breakup hit him hard; Musk almost didn’t show up for the launch of Tesla’s new mass market Model 3 electric car. “It took every ounce of will to be able to do the event. For most of that day, I was morbid. And then I had to psych myself up: drink a couple of Red Bulls and tell myself, ‘All right, do it!’” Months later, Musk—who has five children with his ex-wife Justine—still feels empty without a companion. “When I was a child. There was one thing I said: ‘I never want to be alone.” He whispers, “I don’t want to be alone” (The Weekly, Dec 3, 2017).

Then there is Anna from Frozen singing, “It’s gets a little lonely All these empty rooms” and later she’s excited because “For the first time in forever she won’t be alone.”

You’ve been there. You’ve felt alone. Loneliness is what makes the dark so frightening. Loneliness is what makes the child run to mom and dad or beg to sleep in big brother’s room. Loneliness is also what makes success feel empty. Elon Musk and Anna from Frozen are both dwelling in the dark. They are lonely.

Today we start a sermon series answering the question why Jesus? I hope you’ll invite your neighbors and bring your coworkers next week. With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, with all the loneliness of the season, we need to see and celebrate Jesus.

Let’s begin. Matthew 4:12-17

I. Jesus is the promised One who brings light and life (12-15)

The simple answer to “Why Jesus?” is we dwell in darkness and death while Jesus is light and life. We need Jesus. Let’s me show you in the Word and then draw out how Jesus changes lives.

1. Zebulun and Naphtali are a big deal

We have to get into Matthew’s head for a minute and think like a first century Jew. At this point in Jesus’ story, he and John the Baptist have been working simultaneously baptizing repentant Jews in preparation for the coming Messiah. They are getting the people ready. When John gets arrested that signals the end of the season of preparation. It is time to begin the formal work of salvation. Verse 13 tells us that Jesus leaves Nazareth, his hometown, and goes further north to live in Capernaum. John’s arrest signals the end of the season of preparation while going into the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali signals the dawning of his messianic ministry. It’s go time.

So why are Zebulun and Naphtali a big deal? They were sons of Jacob, grandsons of Isaac, great grandsons of Abraham. From Zebulun and Naphtali will come two tribes of Israel and they will settle in the northern portion of the Promised Land. Being the farthest north also means they will be among the first to be invaded by armies from the north. When Assyria came against Israel in 722 BC, Zebulun and Naphtali were captured and exiled first. Zebulun and Naphtali fell because of their sin. They are on the farthest edge of the darkness Jesus will start there.

Matthew 4:15 is a quote from Isaiah 9. Isaiah 9 is that great prophecy describing Jesus. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of peace.” That’s Isaiah 9:6. Isaiah 9:1 describes how the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali are in gloom and anguish. They walk in darkness and dwell in deep darkness but a light will shine on them.

Here’s the history. Zebulun and Naphtali go into exile because they turned away from God. They sought other gods and found contempt. They sought joy outside of God and found sorrow. But restoration is coming through this child. Restoration comes to Zebulun and Naphtali when a son is given. It is monumental that the beginning of Jesus’ ministry is the fulfillment of this promise made to Zebulun and Naphtali. God keeps his promises. God restores his people. God brings joy and peace to those in darkness. God will do that for you and God does it all through Jesus.

• Jesus is the light of life

Look at Matthew 4:15 with me, “the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light.” If you follow those little notes in your bible you will see that Matthew is no longer quoting from Isaiah 9. Now Matthew has moved to Isaiah 42. In Isaiah 42 God is promising to send his servant, the one in whom his soul delights. God will put his Spirit on that servant and bring justice through him. The servant will be tender and compassionate. God will give that servant as a covenant to the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners who sit in dungeons, from the prison those who sit in darkness. Isaiah 42 is prophesying about Jesus, this great servant who is the promise of God. Jesus is the light for the nations.

In Matthew’s day, this area of Zebulun and Naphtali was still Galilee of the Gentiles. This is the area where Jesus meets the Samaritan woman. In this area the Jewish faith has been intermingled with the religion of the people and other immigrants. They have lost the truth. They have lost the way of salvation. They are in darkness.

But they see a great light. In seminary I loved this Greek word because it was so easy. I never missed this one on a quiz. The Greek word for great is mega. The people in darkness see a mega light. Jesus shows up and he hurts their eyes. He’s bright and their lives are dark. Jesus is so bright and their world is so dark.

Listen to John 1:4&5 it’s about Jesus, “In him was life, and the life was the  light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Have you ever faced a really difficult problem? Maybe it’s a math problem at school, something at work just won’t work, relationships are hard. Then you see the solution; that’s how this is supposed to work! Jesus is like that but better. Jesus isn’t just the solution to our darkness problem, Jesus is also life and strength to put that solution into play. Jesus is light and life. He is a mega light.

The world is death and darkness while Jesus is life and light. This means you can find all the success in the world, you can be the next Elon Musk, and still be haunted by the darkness. You will never escape the darkness of the world with more of the world. Now, Elon Musk isn’t afraid of the dark like one of his little children, but he is afraid to be alone. There in his loneliness he feels the emptiness of this world. There in your loneliness you feel the emptiness of the world. Turn to Jesus who is light and life. Jesus is holy; the perfect man. Jesus is glorious; he is weighty and worthy and satisfying. He can save you, sustain you, and give you peace.

• Jesus brings the kingdom of heaven

Look down at Matthew 4:17. “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

The kingdom of heaven is at hand. The kingdom of heaven is near. It’s coming on you folks dwelling in death darkness. The perfect rule of God, the perfect joy of God, and the perfect peace of God are coming to you right now through Jesus Christ. Jesus is bringing the kingdom of heaven near. Jesus is setting prisoners free from their dungeons. Jesus is opening blind eyes. Jesus is showing people the kingdom and he is bringing many sons and daughters into it.

Zebulun and Naphtali, rebels and prodigals, the kingdom of heaven is coming close. You don’t have to stay in darkness and death. You don’t have to stay empty and lonely. Repent.

Now, to repent we need to understand our sin and understand Jesus the solution. We need to turn away from our sin and we need to turn to Jesus. Let’s talk about our problem.

II. Our problem is darkness and death

We are very much like Zebulun and Naphtali.

• We dwell in darkness

Jeremiah the prophet told the exiles, “Hear and give ear; be not proud, for the Lord has spoken. Give glory to the Lord your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness” (Jeremiah 13:15-16).

Doing life without God is doing life in the darkness. We are groping for meaning, joy, peace, comfort, and relationships. We try so many things constantly running to the next job, next fix, or next relationship. But darkness plus darkness never equals light. Where are you trying to find your life? Only Christ is the light of life. There is darkness within and darkness without. We dwell in darkness and

• We dwell in the region of death

We are in the geographical location of death. We live and work and play in a grave yard. If Jesus is the life of men and men reject Jesus and turn away from Jesus, then men embrace death. If Jesus is the life of women and women reject Jesus and turn away from Jesus, then women embrace death. The dead are incapable. The dead cannot. The dead cannot experience the joy of Christ. The dead cannot pass on or share the joy of Christ. Apart from Christ, we are dead in darkness. We need Christ the life.

Christian, when you go to work you are going into the region of death. But you are going into the region of death carrying the light of life. Your coworkers need you to do your job and they need you to do your job well. But your coworkers also need to see the light within you. When you talk about your weekend talk about being with the church. Look for interested people and follow up with them. Invite them to read the bible with you. Invite them to church. When in the graveyard, do not hide your light under a basket.

When you go to your home you are going into the region of death. But you are carrying the light of life. Who is the loneliest of your neighbors? Who is the angriest of your neighbors? Christian, you have been given the life of Christ. Jesus makes you like himself, the light of the world. How can you shine more brightly at school, at work, and on your street? We dwell in the region of death and

• We dwell in the shadow of death

Job describes death as, “the land of darkness and deep shadow, the land of gloom like thick darkness, like deep shadow without any order, where light is as thick darkness” (Job 10:20-22).

Are you aware of your frail humanity? Are you afraid to die? We dwell in the shadow of death. Have you ever been in a thick forest or in a city crammed with tall buildings? That wall of trees and buildings blocks out the sun. There in that place you are in the shadow. Death casts a shadow like that over our lives. In Psalm 23 David talked about being in the shadow of death. He was a man on the run who regularly had arrows and spears hurled at him. He knew what it was like to be in the shadow of death. Death was a near reality to him. We need Jesus because death is a near reality to us. We experience the shadow of death through fear of death.

We fear death because we feel our sin. We don’t want to stand before a holy God with all this wickedness and filth. We fear death because of the thick darkness and the unknown. What’s it going to feel like to die? Will it hurt? Will I be alone? What will I think when it happens? We dwell in the shadow of death.

But Christmas happened, Jesus took on flesh and blood,… “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death are subject to lifelong slavery” (Heb 2:14-15).

Our sin demands our death and Satan loves to flaunt that. God’s holiness demands sin be treated with justice and Satan loves to flaunt that. We need Jesus. Jesus takes our sin away, so Jesus takes Satan’s power away. We don’t have to fear judgment. We can be reconciled to a holy God.

But alongside of taking away sin and giving us righteousness, Jesus also takes away our fear of death. When two brothers go on an adventure they often face frightening things. It could be walking across a fallen tree, riding a roller coaster, or going down a big slide. Often, little brother will hang back because he’s afraid. If big brother is valiant and honorable he will go first proving there is nothing to fear. Jesus, our big brother, has gone through death and proves to us there is nothing to fear.

Church, Jesus has come. The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.

Do you see him? Do you hear and understand the preaching? What’s next?

III. Repent

Matthew 4:17, “From that time Jesus began to preach saying, “‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

• Repent of your darkness

It is so easy to blast Matt Lauer, Roy Moore, Louis C.K., Kevin Spacey, Al Franken, and Harvey Weinstein. They have done some awful things. But so have you and so have I. The dark things we think about gender, sexuality, money, and power are strangling us. The dark things we are doing are killing us. But when we see the light we see our darkness and when we see our darkness we desperately want to be made into light.

Thursday, after a particularly unhelpful conversation with my wife, I had to study and prepare for this sermon. I had to think on these things and work to apply them to my own live. It wasn’t difficult. On a break I walked outside and began to ask myself questions about why I was angry and frustrated. The answer that came back pointed to the darkness within me. I am tempted to live out of the death-darkness and I did. But do you know that the most freeing and joyful things for those in darkness are repentance and faith? We repent to God and repent to others because of the life and light of Jesus. Admitting my sin to God is a painful joy because it means I’m turning away from sin and turning to God. Admitting my sin to my wife is a painful joy because it means I’m turning away from sin and turning to God.

Repentance can be like a bright light turned on in a dark room. At the beginning the light is painful, but in the end the light is good. The light shows us the truth about ourselves and the truth about the world around us. The light makes life possible. Repent of your darkness knowing

Jesus makes that possible

• Repent and receive the Light

The next thing that happens in Matthew 4 is Jesus calls the first disciples. Simon, Andrew, James, and John are doing their thing in the region and shadow of death. Jesus shines into the darkness and they follow him. This is what the light does; the light calls us to come and have life. The light empowers us to live differently.

Repentance looks like talking to God and telling him you are sorry for trying to make yourself happy by playing with the darkness. We all have our different flavors of darkness but we all dwell there. Be honest. Confess your darkness and ask for Jesus to forgive you and give you life. Ask for Jesus to forgive you because he died on the cross and ask Jesus to give you life because he conquered death and rose from the grave.

When the gospel is preached, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel. Receive light and life. Then

• Go and be the light

Why Jesus? Jesus is the answer to death and darkness. And Jesus wants to use you to push back the death and darkness all around you. With Christ in you, you are the light of the world! As a Christian, God’s plan for your life is for you to be light in the darkness in your home, on your street, at your school, at your work, and in our community. We individually go out as lights into this world. Because of Christ in you, you are light in the world.

As a church, we are a city set on a hill whose light must shine. As a church, people aren’t going to turn from darkness because we put in new carpet. People won’t be changed because we build things. People will turn from darkness when they see the light coming from our lives and hear the gospel coming from our mouths. Church, Jesus has come. Let’s repent and go be the light.

Lifted Up John 12:27-36

Text: John 12:27-36                                                            11/28/2010

Thesis: Believe in Jesus lifted up for our salvation.

Last week we rejoiced over the great promise that the death of Jesus Christ, compared to a grain of wheat, will produce much fruit. Because of the glorification of Jesus Christ you and I can have life. Because Jesus was crucified, resurrected, and then ascended back to heaven we have forgiveness, hope, and purpose.  Christ is worth forgetting all that this world has to offer. The Christian life spent serving and following Jesus enjoys life forever and it is the life that will be honored by the Father himself. In short, the work of Christ will produce a multitude of good things throughout the ages.

On the flip side, in the dialogue of our passage today we see Jesus and the people grappling with the horror of the cross. We’re going to work through three important aspects of the work of Christ. Christ refers to this work, in verse 32, with the phrase “when I am lifted up from the earth.” He’s using that phrase because its loaded with meaning.  John has been big on emphasizing Jesus’ sayings that have double meanings. This double-meaning phrase is central to our passage and colors everything. Jesus used it to refer to the his physical lifting up when rough iron spikes will pierce him and pin him to that terrible cross.  And Jesus used, ‘lifted up’ to refer to the truth that through his saving work (his crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension) he will be exalted or lifted up before the entire world as the savior of mankind.

Scripture makes it abundantly clear that the glory of God displayed in the work of Christ is no small matter. The burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ is not even an important matter.  The glory of God displayed in the work of Christ is the central matter for this life and the next.  The fact that Jesus has been lifted up changes yesterday, today, and forever let’s be sure we understand exactly what is going on.

Read John 12:27-36

I. Preparing to be lifted up (27-30)

A.  The cross troubles Jesus(27-28)

Following the great promises of verse 26 comes the startling reality of verse 27. Jesus says, “Now is my soul troubled.” As Jesus stands in the shadow of the cross he confesses a great reality. He is in turmoil regarding the events that lay before him. The hour has come.  Jesus has come for this hour. So remember, the hour Jesus refers to is the hour of his great work of redemption. Jesus willing and intentionally takes our sins upon himself, God will pour out his wrath on Jesus because of those sins, the eternal Son of God will taste death, and then he will rise victorious over sin and the grave.

Here in this verse we see the perfect display of the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ. Jesus is looking toward the cross and expresses what is only natural for man: emotional turmoil. It is important to define exactly why Jesus feels this way about the cross.  And your definition will depend upon what you believe the cross accomplishes. If the cross is only a good example of love, if Jesus is only a martyr because he did good loving things, then this inner turmoil is cowardice.  He’s afraid to die.  Jesus suddenly becomes less than others who have bravely faced a martyr’s death unafraid, bold, and unshaken. If the cross does not include Jesus experiencing the guilt of our sin and the wrath of God then Jesus’ turmoil is only cowardice.

But if on the cross Jesus becomes sin for us (2 Cor 5:21), if on the cross all our sins are laid on him (Is 53:6), if on the cross the righteous will suffer for the unrighteous (1 Peter 3:18) and if on the cross Jesus will drain the cup (Mt 26:39) of God’s wrath (Is 51:17) because of those sins then the turmoil is justifiable. The One who has eternally existed will be crucified. The One who has been eternally honored and worshipped will be stripped naked and shamed. Think of the guilt you feel over one sin.  Jesus has never known that feeling but he’s facing the guilt of the sin of the world. He’s always enjoyed perfect fellowship with the Father and Spirit. That eternal perfect relationship is about to be broken and the Son be forsaken because of your sin and mine. Jesus is about to take our sins upon himself, suffer, and then die under the fullness of God’s just wrath.  The cross is troubling to Jesus because he is about to take your sins upon himself.

Now we’re going to get a glimpse into the mind of the Son of God. Verse 27 reveals Jesus’ inner dialogue as he prepares to be lifted up. In response to the coming pain of God’s wrath he asks himself a question, “what shall I say?” Should he say, “Father, save me from this hour?” This is the internal debate we all experience when facing the difficulty of obedience.  Will I trust God and walk through the difficulty or should I attempt to change God’s mind?  In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus will pray this prayer 3 times; simultaneously he graciously requests another way and faithfully trusts himself to the God who ordains extreme difficulty for the good of others. So what will Jesus say? What did Jesus say?

Verse 27, “But for this purpose I have come to this hour.” Jesus came to drink the cup of God’s wrath. He came to die.  The cross was always the plan. As quickly as the debate began it ended. No matter the cost Jesus will go to the cross for you. The cross is troubling to Jesus and

B.  Through the cross Jesus glorifies God (28)

Calvin says it best, “By these words [Jesus] testifies, that he prefers the glory of the Father to all things else, and even neglects and disregards his own life…the true regulation of all our desires is, to seek the glory of God in such a manner that all other things shall give way to it (Calvin, 35).

There is a two-fold reason for Jesus being lifted up. Here in verse 28 we see that Jesus is lifted up in order to glorify the name of the Father. In verse 32 we see that Jesus is lifted up in order to draw people from every tribe and tongue and nation to himself. The glory of God and the salvation of man are the two goals of the cross.

As we follow Christ we must remember the motive of Christ and seek to bring everything in line with his motive.  Our desire must be to display the greatness, love, justice, and mercy of the Father in all that we do.  And doing that, glorifying the name of the Father, will be costly. Serving Christ will cause us to enter into situations that are difficult.  What will we do? What will we say?  By God’s grace we will say with Jesus, “Father glorify your name.”

That’s Jesus’ commitment and it is His prayer. Then the Father answers, verse 29, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

C.  We need to hear God speak concerning the cross (29-30)

While Jesus walked this earth the Father spoke audibly three times.  Once at Jesus’ baptism, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Lk 3:22). Once at the Transfiguration, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Mt 17:5). And now as Jesus prepares for the cross, “I have glorified it and I will glorify it again.”

Each time the Father speaks he is verifying the deity or centrality of the Son. And why is the Father speaking? For whose benefit are these words uttered? Verse 30, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine.” The majority of the people were clueless. Some thought it had thundered. Some thought possibly an angel had said something to Jesus. But they missed what was going on and what was going on was very important.

Put yourself in their shoes. The bible testifies that anyone hung on a tree is cursed. Deuteronomy 21:23 and Galatians 3:13 both state that anyone hung on a tree is cursed of God. Everyone will be tempted to believe that Jesus was not sent by God on this simple ground; he was a cursed man. It was a common belief, also from Scripture, that the Messiah would not die. Everyone will be tempted to believe that Jesus could not be the Messiah because he will be lifted up on the cross.  Before Jesus’ death occurred they needed to hear that Jesus’ crucifixion was not outside of God’s will. Before Jesus is shamed and lifted up they needed to hear that this event does not degrade Jesus or deny that he is the Messiah. No, these things though apparently shameful at first will be the ultimate display of God’s glory.

The Father was glorified in Jesus’ life and the Father will be glorified in Jesus’ death.  As we unpack the things that Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension secure it will become even more evident how it is that through the shameful cross the Father is glorified.

II. What Jesus being lifted up produces (31-33)

A.  The cross produces my condemnation (31a)

Walking toward the cross Jesus states, “Now is the judgment of this world.”  Listen to Isaiah 53:6, “All we like sheep have turned away; we have turned—every one—to his own way.”  Romans 3:10-12, “None is righteous no not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” We are a wretched lot and the cross proves it.

It is true that the cross displays the depths of God’s love. But it is also equally true that the cross proves how guilty and sinful each one of us is.  If we are going to be reconciled to God, if we are going to be righteous, understand the glory of God, seek after God, turn to God, live worthy lives, and do good it will only be through the atoning death of Jesus Christ. The cross is judgment. Do you want an honest evaluation of how bad you really are? Do you want to know God’s opinion concerning the state of the world? Look at the Son of God naked and dying under the weight of your sin.

But here also is the good news for all those who believe in the light that is Jesus Christ.  Our judgment has already occurred. The condemnation and guilt caused by our sins have been swallowed and removed by Jesus Christ.  Every sin that separates us from God and others has been judged by God and punished by God on the cross.  There is no condemnation for all those in Christ Jesus because on the cross he took it all on himself.

B.  The cross severs Satan’s power (31b)

Verse 31, “now will the ruler of this world be cast out.” All those outside of Christ, either consciously or unconsciously, are following after the ruler of this world (Eph 2:2). All of us have turned away from God and were doing our own thing. Whether we want to admit it or not doesn’t change the fact that we are slaves to sin. Bound to go our own way. Bound to turn away from God. Bound to ignore the Father and get wrapped up in the things of this world.  As such we are on the Devil’s team.  And the only way off his team is to have the power of sin broken. When Jesus took my sins upon himself and died in my place under my guilt Jesus took the power of sin.  He dethroned the ruler of this world. Jesus, according to the rules of God, took away all the devil’s ammunition.

The devil has no claims on you. He has nothing to hold against you.  When Jesus was lifted up Satan was thrown down. He is a defeated enemy running for his life; grasping at straws. Do not submit again to his selfishness and foolishness. He has been defeated by the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the world’s true ruler. The cross secured his rightful place.

C.  The cross draws us to Jesus (32-33)

Jesus said, verse 32, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” What does Jesus use to draw people to the holiness and powerful life that only he provides? Is it your testimony? Maybe it’s the idea that God loves you and had a plan for your life? What does Jesus say draws all people to him? It is his atoning work. Do you feel crushed under guilt and judgment? You need Christ crucified, resurrected, and ascended. Do you feel defeated and at the mercy of this world? You need Christ, the One who was lifted up and dethroned the ruler of this world. Do you feel that your life is meaningless? You need Christ who empowers you to fulfill his mission of glorifying the Father through the salvation of the nations.

How will souls be won? By you and I preaching Christ and him crucified. We must speak of his death. We must be clear concerning the type of death and what that death provides. The cross produces my condemnation and salvation. The cross severs Satan’s power. And the cross draws us to Jesus. If that is what the cross provides let’s look now at

III. What Jesus being lifted up demands (34-36)

A.  The cross demands that we think biblically about Jesus (34)

The temptation of that day is still a temptation of today. We latch onto one promise of God concerning Jesus and demand that it be the one defining promise of God that rules out all others. Verse 24, “So the crowd answered him, ‘We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”

They latched onto the promise of forever rule, probably Psalm 89:4 speaking off the king from David’s line, “I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.” And Psalme 110:4, “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.’” So the people latched onto the promise of forever and took it to mean forever in person on the earth. So when they hear Jesus making messianic claims but also stating that he will die there is a conflict.  We think you’re the Messiah and we’re hearing you say you have to die.  But the Messiah won’t die. Who is the Son of Man? Maybe he’s not the Messiah.  We’re confused.

We must fight for biblical and systematic theology. Understand what that passage is saying in its immediate context and understand how that passage fits into the larger system of Scripture. Let that passage speak and let that truth shape the whole. We get are in grave danger when we refuse to listen to the whole of Scripture and we are in grave danger when we refuse to let each passage speak. What did Jesus demand from them? What does Jesus demand from us?

B.  The cross demands that we believe in Jesus right now (35-36)

Jesus’ answer sounds initially a bit confusing but the point is simple.  He’s telling us to listen to him and believe what he is saying. As we continue to follow him and listen to him he’ll teach us and make himself ever more clear.  As we gaze at him we’ll be transformed and look more like him (2 Cor 3:18).

So he tells the crowd that time is running out, “The light is among you for a little while longer.  Walk while you have the light.” He’s calling us to believe. We might not have everything figures out. Tomorrow might be very vague. But this much we know we are drawn to Jesus; drawn to his life that glorified God in every way. We’re drawn to his death that gives us life. If there is any desire in you to follow the Jesus you see through these pages then go.

All those that do not go after Jesus are lost. “The one who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.” He’s confused. Every effort is fruitless. Every turn brings uncertainty. No matter what he has he doesn’t have what he needs. This is the futility of your life without Christ always going but never getting anywhere.

Right now as the Spirit draws you to Christ, “While you have the light, believe in the light.” Today is the day. Now is the time. And know this: believing in Jesus is not like joining the Lion’s club.  Believing in the light makes you become a son of light. The things that characterize Jesus are to become the things that characterize you. The love of the Son for the Father will be implanted in you and begin to grow. As you see Christ through his word he will change you.  Your life will become less important and the glory of God will become more important. Serving like Christ and following Christ will become priorities and you will experience joy, humility, and purpose like never before.

This morning, while you have the light, while the good news of Jesus Christ crucified, resurrected, and ascended lies in front of you, believe in Him.  Reach out to Him. It’s simple but changes everything. Your sins which nailed Jesus to the cross, repent of them. Tell God that you are sorry that you turned away from him and put your trust in Christ alone.  Believe that his death takes away every ounce of punishment you deserve. Believe that his life provides every ounce of holiness that God requires.  Repent to God, place your faith in Jesus Christ, and you will become a son or daughter of light.  You will have life eternal in that very moment.  For those who desire Christ now is the time. Let’s pray.