He Is The Word Who Saves
My grandson is in the toddler stage of life. That means that he is walking and with his new mobility, he is getting into things. He is opening drawers, he is pulling doors open and he is grabbing things off of any shelves that he can reach. He doesn’t appreciate the danger around him as he engages in these activities, but I do. And when I see him doing something that would harm him, I speak with urgency to save him from that harm…harm that could even endanger his life. Jesus spoke with urgency in His last public discourse as recorded by John (John 12:44-50). He urged us to believe in Him, to believe that He is God (the perfect representation of the Father), and to believe His words of salvation and eternal life. To reject Him leads to final judgment and condemnation. I pray this week that you will share the word of God with someone who needs to hear that God sent Jesus into the world so that whoever believes on Him will have eternal life. Amen.
Then Jesus cried out and 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. (John 12:44-46). John wrote that Jesus “cried out”, which speaks to the importance of what Jesus was saying to those listening to Him. Since Jesus is the incarnation of God, belief in Him is the same as belief in God (Him who sent Me). There is no separation or belief in one vs the other. When you see Jesus you see the Father, because Jesus is the perfect representation of God. Jesus came to lead people out of the darkness of sin and satan’s kingdom into the light of salvation and God’s kingdom.
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, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. (John 12:47-48). Jesus makes it clear that He did not come to condemn those who were lost in satan’s kingdom of darkness. On the contrary, He came to be a light in the darkness to save everyone who would hear His words and believe on Him. While Jesus did not come to condemn, in the last days His words will judge anyone who rejects Him as Lord and Savior, the Son sent from the Father. The unfortunate reality is that there will be some who will continue to reject Jesus no matter what and, on the day of judgment, they will be judged and condemned.
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. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.” (John 12:49-50). Jesus’ words held the authority of the Father because it was the very word that the Father had given Him to speak. The requirement of a true prophet is that he speak the words that God has given him to say to God’s people. Moses said that there would one day come a Great prophet, One who would speak for God. Moses said “You must listen to Him” (Deut. 18:15). Hebrews 1:1-3 says that God spoke to people finally and decisively in Jesus, God’s Word. The command that Jesus received from the Father was to speak the words of life to those who are dying. This is summarized in John 3:16, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
At the beginning of John’s gospel he introduces Jesus as the Word, the one who created everything, including human life. In His final words of discourse with the general public here in John 12, Jesus stresses the importance of hearing His word, believing on Him and following Him into the light of God’s kingdom and salvation. It is Jesus, the Word, who created the world, and now offers the words of life to a dying world. And It is Jesus, the Word, who created life and now offers everyone salvation and eternal life. He urges us to hear Him, He urges us to trust Him and He urges us to accept His words of life. For He is the Word…and He alone has the power to save.
Blessings
Rev. Glenn
Listen here as Tasha Cobbs sings “Jesus Saves”
