91
John 12:34-36 TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE SAVED

Introduction:
	
	When Jesus arrived at Jerusalem to attend the Jewish
Passover, the city of Jerusalem was bursting at the seams
with Jews from all over the nation of Israel and from
several foreign countries around.  Jesus had recently raised
Lazarus from the dead at Bethany just two miles from
Jerusalem.  Several thousand people accompanied Him into
Jerusalem proclaiming Him to be the promised Christ and the
King of Israel.
	When they entered into the city the larger crowds who
were already there from all over the nation also became
excited about the prospect of having Jesus as their king.
	Therefore, virtually the whole nation of Israel was
ready to crown Him to be their king.  They were ready to
acknowledge that He is the promised Messiah, the Christ of
God.  However, they were not ready to accept Him as the God
sent Savior of the souls of men.  They were ready to accept
Him only as the Christ who could save their nation from
Roman rule, but they were not ready to accept Him as One who
could save their souls.
	The spirit of the crowds who wanted Him as their king
were dampened, however, when Jesus announced that He had not
come to their city to become their king.  Rather, He had
come there to die.  He announced to them that He would be
lifted up from the earth, which the people correctly
understood to mean that He would be crucified.  This was the
manner in which He would be put to death.  He would not only
die, but He would die a death of shame.  There was no
greater disgrace in Israel than to be crucified.

I.  The people challenging the words of Jesus

	In our text today the people challenge the words of
Jesus.  V. 34, "The people answered him, We have heard out
of the law that Christ abideth for ever..."  Note the
wording of their challenge.  They said that they had heard
out of the Old Testament law that Christ would abide or live
forever.  They had heard the Jewish rabbis read such
passages as Psalm 110:4 which proclaims the Christ to be a
Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.  They had
also heard the rabbis explain that this means that the
Christ, Himself, must live forever in order to be a priest
forever.  They had heard the rabbis read such passages as
Isaiah 9:7 which speaks of the Christ being given the throne
of David on which He would rule forever.  They had heard the
rabbis explain that the Christ would have to live forever in
order to rule from the throne of David forever.  And, of
course, these Scriptures are true and they most certainly do
teach that the Christ will live forever.
	But this left a question in their minds: (V.  34), ...
and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up?..."
They wanted to know, "How can you claim to be the Christ if
you are going to be crucified?  How can you claim to be One
whom the Scriptures teach will live forever when you tell us
from your own lips that you are going to die?  You tell us
that you are going to be crucified.  How can this be?"
	They thought to themselves, "There is no way this man
can be the Christ if He is going to be crucified.  He has
got to be wrong one way or the other.  If He is the Christ,
He cannot be crucified.  On the other hand, if He is going
to be crucified, He cannot be the Christ."  This was their
thinking.
	Now actually they were absolutely correct in thinking
that the Old Testament scriptures teach that the Christ will
live forever.  They were right about that.  The problem is
that they failed to consider other Old Testament scriptures
which teach that He would be put to death.  For instance
Isaiah chapter 53 foretells the death of the Christ.  Isaiah
53:5 speaks about Him being wounded for our transgressions.
Verse 6 speaks of the iniquity of us all being laid on Him.
Verse 7 speaks about Him being brought as a lamb to the
slaughter.  Verse speaks of Him being cut off from the land
of the living.  Verse 9 speaks of His grave being with the
wicked and with the rich.  How much plainer could the
scriptures speak of His death?  How could these people miss
such plain teaching from the scripture?  Especially, how
could the rabbis miss such plain teaching about the death of
the Christ?
	It seems so simple now for us to answer their question
about how He could be the One who lives forever and yet go
to the cross and be crucified.  You see, we know that He
would be raised from the dead.  We also know that HE did not
intend to be crowned as king at His first coming.  We now
know that He would not rule from the throne of David until
the millennium.  Then after the 1000 years of the millennium
is over, He will continue and rule forever in the New Earth
from the throne in the New Jerusalem.
	Therefore most of those men who had been almost
persuaded that Jesus is the Christ became totally persuaded
that Jesus cannot be the Christ.  The reason that they are
so convinced that He cannot be the Christ is because they
think that He cannot be the Christ if He is to die on the
cross.
	It is in a spirit of irony and mockery that they direct
heir next question to Jesus.  They do not ask in sincerity.
They ask in ridicule.  They ask, (V. 34), "...who is this
Son of man?"  They spoke as if they thought He was talking
about someone other than Himself as being the Son of Man.  .
It is as if they were saying, "Surely you cannot talk about
you being crucified if you are claiming to be the Christ."
Yet they knew that He was talking about Himself.  They knew
that He was claiming Himself to be the Son of Man. Back in
verse 32 He said, "And I, if I be lifted up..."  The
emphasis in that verse is upon Himself.  They knew that He
was saying that He would be crucified.  They were merely
poking fun at Him  by asking who HE was talking about.  at
this point.  They were not asking a sincere question.

II.  The answer which Jesus gave the people

	Instead of giving a direct answer to their questions
Jesus gave an indirect answer.  That is, He made a statement
which would seem to be totally off the subject, but which,
in reality would answer their questions and erase their
doubts if they would only heed His advice.
	V. 35, "Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is
the light with you."  You will note that there is no
question mark at the end of that sentence.  This means that
this is not a question; it is a statement of fact.  Jesus
was re-affirming the fact that He would be crucified.  He
was also implying that He would ascend back to heaven from
which He came.  He who is the Light of the World would no
longer be with them here on earth.  He would go away to
heaven from which He had come.
	Jesus was not saying that they could not be saved after
He was gone.  He was not saying that it would be impossible
for them to get saved after He was gone.  Rather He was
saying that their best opportunity to be saved was now while
He was yet with them.  Their best opportunity of getting
saved was while the Light was yet with them.   They could
see Him and hear Him.
	Jesus counseled them, (V. 35), "Walk while ye have the
light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in
darkness knoweth not whither he goeth."  Jesus was using an
illustration from life that was very familiar to all of
them.  They did not have the modern electric lights like we
have.  They did not have flashlights nor automobiles with a
battery and a generator.  At night the best they had was a
lamp or candle in their homes and a torch if they were
traveling.  Even then they were sometimes caught out at
night without a torch and they just had to stumble along in
the dark.  It was so much better to do whatever walking or
work they had to do while there was daylight.
	Even so, if they waited until He was gone it was going
to be very difficult for them to turn to Him and get saved.
By that time the Jewish leaders who oppose Him would regain
their influence over the minds of the people and it would be
very difficult for the people to break from that influence
and trust in Him and get saved.
	Now would be their best opportunity.  It was an
opportunity of a lifetime.  It was an opportunity to avoid
the fires of torment.  It was an opportunity to gain an
entrance into heaven.  It was an opportunity to guarantee
that they would make it to heaven.
	Listen to what He urged them to do.  V. 36, "While ye
have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the
children of light.  These things spake Jesus, and departed,
and did hide himself from them."  In other words, Jesus was
saying to them, "While you have such a good opportunity, get
saved!  Get saved while you can!  If you put it off and keep
on putting it off you will soon find that all of your
opportunity is gone!"

III.  One thing of which I am confident

	Listen, I am confident of one thing.  If those same
people had that same kind of opportunity to be saved today,
they would not hesitate one minute.  If they could be
present here in this service today and hear this sermon they
would not hesitate one second to step out this morning and
place their faith in Jesus Christ.  They would not wait for
a second verse of the hymn.  It would not make any
difference to them whether or not anybody would be critical.
If they only had another opportunity to be saved, they would
not let that opportunity pass.

Conclusion:
	
	Listen, their opportunity is past.  It will never
return.  Your opportunity is here now.  It is an opportunity
of a lifetime!  Do not let your opportunity pass.  Come
today and place your faith in Jesus Christ and be saved.
Come to the Light and become a child of the Light.
	If you are already saved, then let me appeal to you,
"Walk in the light and serve the Lord while you have
opportunity.  Your opportunity to serve the Lord in this
world is swiftly passing away.