our Bibles and turn with me to
the book of John, chapter 12. John 12. You know, I was thinking as we were
considering that last passage of Scripture, whatever the Lord says, that's
the way it is. You know that. Whatever God says. And a believer is going to take
God's Word against himself. Whatever God says, that's what
I was thinking about when the Lord came up to His disciples,
His apostles. They'd been fishing all night.
And these guys, you know, they weren't novice. These guys were professionals.
They knew those waters. They knew where the fish were.
These guys knew what they were doing. The Lord came up to them
and said, have you caught any fish? He said, cast your net
on the other side of the boat. Peter said, Lord, look, we've
fished all night long, and we've caught nothing. But that's Your Word. That's
Your Word. And you know what happened. They
cast the net in. The net was likened to be broken,
he said. This is what we desire. I want to know what God has to
say. And whatever God has to say, that's the truth. And whatever He says, Lord, give
me a heart to believe it. Because I am telling you, this
Word is the Word by which we are all going to stand before
God. This is the Word. Wherein shall a man be judged,
even according to thy Word? I pray that God bless and make
fruitful the setting forth of His truth Because I know this,
if He is going to save anybody, He is going to save them under
this truth right here. I know that. I stand before you
as a dying man, it has been said, speaking to dying men. We are
all going to go the way as our dear brother Bob has just gone. Lord, have mercy today. I'd like to deal with verses
37 to 41, and we'll start considering them
in just a moment. Our Lord had warned the Jews. He said, I'm getting ready to
leave this world physically. That's what He said in verse
Verse 35 of John 12. He said, Then Jesus said unto
them, Yet a little while is the light with you. That's Him. That's
Him. I am the light of the world.
Walk while you have the light, lest darkness come upon you. For he that walketh in darkness
knoweth not whether he goeth. And after the Lord spoke those
words, now He told them. He said, I'm getting ready to
leave. And then he told them in verse
36, while you have the light, believe in the light, that you
may be children of light. These things spake Jesus and
departed and did hide himself from them. That's where we ended last time.
We were in John. Last time we were in John, that's
where we stopped. And Scripture says that He departed and He
hid Himself. Now that Word, and I'm telling
you, we need to, oh, give heed. Lord, help me today. Give heed
to what you've got to say. The Word hide. hide Himself. It means He concealed or kept
Himself secret from them. He hid Himself from them. You think if God Almighty hides Himself
from a man or woman, what hope do they have? Someone says, well, now, why
would He do that? Here again, I'm a translator. I'm a translator. I'll tell you
what He said. He hid Himself from them. I know
that He who eternally has known His people. I know this. I know He's going to seek and
to save His people. I know that. And this morning,
I don't know the hearts of everyone sitting here, but I know what
God has to say. And this is my calling. I have
to stand in this pulpit and tell you what God has to say. He hid
Himself. from them. Now, some commentators,
and I think rightly so, seem to think, and I think they're
right, that it's right here that our Lord removes Himself from
the public ministry of being in the midst of the Jews. Up
until this point right here, He walked He would converse with
the Pharisees and they would rebuke him. And he would tell
them, he would say, well, you're just a bunch of snakes. They wanted to kill him. And
up until that point right there, he had interaction with them.
Now from that point right here until about chapter 18, our Lord
deals primarily with His disciples. Just talking with them. He's
getting ready to leave. He's going to go to the cross.
He's going to be ascended into heaven. And these next few chapters,
13 and 17, primarily deal with the Lord's dealings with His
people. Now, in verses 44 through 50
of this chapter that we're not going to deal with this morning,
It says that there was something that our Lord said. Now, whether
or not, and here again, I don't know. I've tried to read it.
44 to 50 states something that the Lord did say. And whether
or not the Spirit of God moved upon John to pen what the Lord
had previously said or whether He stated it at that time, I
don't know. I'll leave that to the Lord's
good pleasure to reveal that in His time. But nonetheless,
it doesn't change the meaning of what He said. But I think
that what He said in those verses probably was a recounting of
what He had previously said and it was written down by John.
But nonetheless, Before we consider those verses 44 to 50 at another
time, let's look at verses 37 to 43 and see what God has to
say, or 41, I'm sorry, 37 to 41. The Scripture sets forth
concerning verse 37, But though He had done so many miracles
before them, yet they believed not on Him. Now, here's something I know
from that verse of Scripture. I know that man by nature is
depraved. I know that he does not see God. He doesn't long after the Lord. Our Lord had set forth and performed
numerous miracles in clear view. Now, He caused a blind man in
John 9.32. He took a blind man and a man
that was born blind. And he spit on the ground. The Lord did. He spit on the
ground. He made a little bit of mud and put it on his eyes. He told them, he said, go wash
in the pool of Siloam. The man did. Went and washed
just like the Lord told him to do. And he came to see it. And the Lord in that man was
questioned numerous times by the Jews. And they said, tell us again how He did that. He said, this man named Jesus
came and He took some spittle and He put it on my eyes. He
told me to go wash and pull the salome. And I did and I can see
now. And they questioned and questioned
and questioned. Then it came to this question here, since
the world began, was it not heard that any man opened the eyes
of one that was born blind? Now, what was the purpose of
that miracle? What was the message? The Lord did not heal everybody
that was blind. He didn't heal everybody that
was lame. He healed some. Passed by others. But what was the message of healing? He's saying that man is born
blind spiritually. And it's going to take God Almighty,
the Lord Jesus Christ. God's going to have to give Him
eyes. That's what He's saying. Whenever the Lord came and cast
out demons, what was He saying? Every man is born. with a spirit
that hates God. That's what he was saying. What
about when he made a man walk that couldn't walk? What about
when he raised the dead? What is he saying? Every man
born in Adam is dead spiritually. He cannot do anything. He cannot do anything. He can't
speak here. He can't see. He can't move. All of these miracles was for
a reason. But though He had done so many
miracles before them, yet they believed not. Seeing miracles
will not cause a dead man, spiritually a dead man, to see. Just because you see. There is
a perfect example. The Lord has been pleased here
in the last year call some out of darkness." You saw a miracle of God's grace.
That's a miracle that God would give a man or a woman a heart
to believe what God has to say. But do you know that sitting
there and watching someone else seeing that is not that which
gives life? God's got to give a new heart.
So here they saw Yet they did not believe. Rejecting the Word of God, rejecting
Christ, rejecting what God has to say proves two things. Number one, that man is totally
depraved, as we've already considered. And secondly, that God's Word
alone is true. The Jews, by and large, did not
believe The Lord. They did not believe on Him.
Now, I got thinking about this this morning. What does it mean
to believe on? That's what He said. Though He
had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on
Him. Now, you know what it didn't
say? It didn't say they didn't believe
in Him. Now, some demons believe in Him. You ask, by and large, do you
believe that the Lord Jesus Christ came into this
world? Yeah, I believe He did. I believe
Him. I believe there was a George
Washington too. I mean, I believe that He really was. But believing
that He actually exists and believing on Him, Trusting Him for salvation. Casting all of your hope for
eternal salvation upon Him. There is a big difference. Though
they have seen many miracles, yet they believe not on Him. I want you to look. Hold your
place there. I will read it to you. Titus 3. Titus 3, 4-7. See, I will just read it to you. Almighty God saves sovereignly,
and seeing miracles is not going to give a man a new heart. God's
got to give him a new heart. Titus 3, 4-7, But after that,
the kindness and love of God our Savior toward men appeared,
not by works of righteousness, which we've done, But according
to His mercy, He saved us by the washing of regeneration and
renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly through
Jesus Christ our Savior." That being justified, that is declared
right, declared perfect. In Christ, being justified by
His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of
eternal life. So here is what I know. His miracles is not what will
give a man. Though He had done so many miracles
before them, yet they believed not on Him that, verse 38, that
the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he
spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom hath
the arm of the Lord been revealed? That Scripture reveals that the
opening verse of Isaiah 53, from which that was quoted, is a prophecy
concerning how the vast majority of the Jews would receive the
Lord. That is, to not receive Him.
But that is exactly the way that most men and women are today. To whom is the arm of the Lord
revealed? The power. When it says the arm
of the Lord, the power of God. Who is that revealed to? But
with that willful rejection, we see the judgment of God. Now
listen to what I have to say here because I'm not going to
be long on this second message. But I want to be clear. I want
to be clear. The scripture sets forth in verse
38 that the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled
which he spake, Lord, who has believed the gospel?
I report. And to whom hath the arm of the
Lord, the power of the Lord, to whom has it been revealed?
I'll tell you who it is. It's God's elect. It's God's
people. But they saw the miracles that He did. And they believed
not on Him. Now listen to the words of our
Lord in verses 39 and 40. Therefore, they could not believe. Because
that Isaiah said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and harden
their heart, that they should not see with their eyes, nor
understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should
heal them." My friend, I know this. Verse 37 says they
believed not. And verse 39 says they couldn't
believe. They would not, therefore they
could not. God give a man or a woman over
to a reprobate mind. Someone says, well, at what point
is that? I don't know. I don't know. But I can tell you this, I'm setting forth what God has
to say. If the Lord leaves a man or woman
in rebellion, now I tell you, if He is pleased to call one
out of darkness, I know, I know that He will. I know that He
will. But I know this, that according
to His Word, those that will not believe I hear what God is
saying. I can read it with my own two
eyes. I see what you are saying. But
it just doesn't mean anything to me. I just don't care. I just take it or leave it. If Almighty God leaves a man
or a woman to themselves and they cannot believe, that's what
it says, therefore they could not believe. because that Isaiah
said, and what happened to him? What happened? He had blinded
their eyes and hardened their heart. That's two of the most sobering
passages of Scripture I guess I could read. I read that right
there, and I think in my heart right now while I'm preaching
to you, God have mercy on me. Lord, please don't leave me to
myself. Lord, help me. I know that salvation is all
of grace. God Almighty gave them over. Turn to Romans 1. You know, I tell you, it's a fearful
thing to fall into the hands of a living God. And men, we
trifle. By nature, we trifle with God.
I can remember thinking. Romans 1. I'm going to read verses
25-28 in a minute. I can remember thinking years
ago I came up in false religion. And I remember thinking, well,
I've heard the preacher telling me that I can come to the Lord
and I can do this and I can do that. to do it and stuff like
this. But I think what I want to do,
to be honest with you, I think I just want to kind of
sow my own oats for a while. And I'll just wait. I'll just
wait. And then just before I die, I
think I'll just give my heart to the Lord. It's not that I
don't want to go to heaven. I do. I guess I'll pick heaven
over hell. But I think what I'll do is,
you know, there's just a lot of things that I've just always
wanted to do. And so therefore, I know no one's ever thought
that here. So I'll just go ahead and admit it, that I'm the only
one that ever thought it. But I'm going to tell you something. I realize, according to God's
Word, that it is not wise to trifle with God. It is unwise
to read what God has to say. The greatest blessing, I've got
two things I'm going to tell you, the greatest blessing that
a man or woman would ever have, the greatest blessing you'd ever
have is to be under the Word of God and somebody tell you
the truth about what God says. The most fearful thing that you'll
ever do is sit under the Gospel and refuse it. Based on what God has to say.
They would not. They would not believe. Then
they could not. Why? Because the Lord blinded
them. Somebody said, now, are you telling me that God would
actually blind their eyes that they could not see? Did we just read it? That's what
God has to say. Here again, I am the messenger
and without embarrassment or reserve or something, this is what God has to say.
Look at Romans 1, 25 to 28, talking about those that would not, who
changed the truth of God into a lie, or what they said was.
They didn't believe Him. And worshiped and served the
creature. Who is that? The creation. more than the Creator,
who is blessed forever. Amen. And for this cause, God
gave them up unto vile affections, and even their women did change
the natural use into that which is against nature, and likewise
also the men, leaving the natural use of the women burned in their
lust. toward one another, men with men working that which is
unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error
which was made or which was fit." God Almighty gave them exactly
what they wanted. Almighty God is just. I'm back to Romans 12 and I'll
try to wrap this up. Men love darkness rather than light. They love
it. Oh, that God would give me a
heart to long after Him. I know that just believing Him
is by the grace of God. I know that. And I know that
it's not of myself. I know that. According to His
Word, it's given unto me to believe Him. It was by the grace of God
that I believed Him. This message, right here, grates
on the natural man. This is contrary. Man, by nature,
does not want to hear this. Me, by nature, would not want
to. I wouldn't want to hear this.
Are you telling me that you mean I'm not the final say? You mean
I don't have the last hoorah in this thing? That's exactly
right. Men hear the truth of God. He sends it. And when God
is pleased to call a man or a woman out of darkness, you know what
He does? He gives them a heart to believe it. And saves them
by His grace. Every man. 2 Thessalonians 2. I'm going to read a couple of
verses there. But for the grace of God, he
is going to find himself in this state. Listen to this. 2 Thessalonians 2. 2 Thessalonians
2. 10 to 12. Listen to what God
has to say. 2 Thessalonians 2. 10. With all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish, because they receive
not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for
this cause, God shall send them strong delusion That they should
believe a lie. That they all might be damned
who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But listen to the grace of God. Verse 13. I love this passage
of Scripture. I quoted it a minute ago. But
we're bound to give thanks all the way to God for you, brethren,
beloved of the Lord. Because God has from the beginning
chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit
and belief of the truth. Where unto? Verse 14. He calls you by our gospel to
the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. God Almighty
saves people by grace, by power. Leave a man or a woman to himself,
and I'm going to tell you what they're going to do. They're
not going to believe God. They're not going to believe
God. And they're going to die not able to believe God. And
Almighty God is going to justly put them in hell. Now, I'm telling
you the truth. Now, you're reading this. The
last verse back in John 12, verse 41. These things, John 12, 41,
these things said Isaiah when he saw His glory and spake of
Him. That passage right there was
from Isaiah 6, 1 to 8. Isaiah, the Scripture said,
I'll read it for you, Isaiah 6. In the year the king Uzziah
died, I saw also the Lord. sitting upon the throne high
and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. And above
it stood the seraphims. Each one had six wings, with
twenty covered his face, with twenty covered his feet, with
twenty did fly. And one cried unto another, Holy,
holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of His
glory. And the post of the door moved
at the voice of him that cried. And the house was filled with
smoke. And I said, no, then said I,
Woe is me. Here is the voice of one that
God has done something for. Woe is me. For I am undone, because
I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people
of unclean lips. For mine eyes have seen the King,
the Lord of hosts, and flew one of the seraphims unto me, a live
coal in his hand which had taken off the tongs from off the altar,
laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this has touched thy lips,
and thine iniquities taken away, and your sins purged." A man
or woman sees God, sees Him by grace, by faith. God Almighty
reveals to them what they are. Woe is me. I saw right there
when Isaiah, he said, He said the whole earth is full of His
glory. You remember when Moses said
to the Lord, show me Your glory. Show me Your glory. And the Lord
said, this is my glory. I'm going to have mercy on whom
I'll have mercy. And I'll have compassion on whom
I'll have compassion. And Isaiah says the whole earth
is full of His glory. God's calling His people out.
And He's calling them out pat under this message right here.
This is the truth. This is the truth. Let God be
true. Let me be a liar. Let God be
true. But by the grace of God, let me believe what God has to
say. Seek ye the Lord, Isaiah 55,
6, while he may be found. Call on him while he's near.
If you just took a breath of air, there's hope. There's hope. May God bless these words to
our heart for Christ's sake. Amen.