“And Jesus cried out and said, ‘Whoever believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And whoever sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in Me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My Words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects Me and does not receive My words has a judge; the Word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.'” John 12:44-48
Devotional Thought For The Day
These are both somber and remarkably joyous words spoken by Jesus just before the process of His last Passover celebration began, which ultimately led to His arrest, wrongful conviction, sentencing, and execution. I’m certain that there was great sadness for Jesus, that He had to contemplate the many who had rejected Him in unbelief – and the reality that whoever rejects Him remains in darkness, cannot know the Father, and has judged himself unworthy of eternal life [see Acts 13:46]. These things He had to contemplate along with the grueling task of atoning for the sins of these ungrateful and unbelieving people. It is important for us to be aware of this, and to remember that “for the joy set before Him” Jesus endured the cross [Heb. 12:2]; He was well aware that the many would reject His gracious gift of mercy, forgiveness, and love, and choose the broad way that leads to destruction while only the few would enter life through true and genuine repentance and faith in His mercy and redemption [Matt. 7:13,14]. Still, the joy of one sinner repenting by far surmounts the sorrow over 99 who feel no need for repentance and reject God’s gracious mercy [Luke 15:7].
In our own evaluation of life in this fallen world of sin, our life of repentance and faith, our participation and investment in making disciples for Jesus, we too are confronted with the larger numbers who reject Jesus and do not receive His Words – whether coarse unbelievers, atheists and agnostics, or adherents of false religions of law [including those who use Christian words and claim Christ’s Name, but negate faith by insisting that our deeds determine whether or not we have eternal life], or people within genuine Christian congregations who hypocritically participate in at least some of the congregational activities but have no faith in Christ or submission to His Word. We must somehow grasp the joy of Jesus, which compelled Him to endure the cross even for those who rejected Him, so that we also move forward in our Christian faith and life despite the sadness that comes from seeing the darkness and destruction of sin. We must remember that those who turn away are not so much rejecting us as rejecting Christ, and that His joy over the fellowship of new-born believers makes enduring all rejection worthwhile.
The Word of judgment which He has spoken is quite plain and clear: “He that believes the Son has everlasting life; he that does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” [John 3:36] As we enter into His sufferings vicariously over the next few days, recalling His Words and the sacred accounts of His great sacrificial love for us, may we cling to His Word of promise regarding faith in Him, that He is “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.” In this way we also believe in Him Who sent Jesus, Who so loved the world as to give us His only-begotten Son as our dear Savior. In this way alone are we extracted from the darkness, as God pours the light of the glory of His love into our hearts and minds, and we are transformed into His image [2 Cor. 4:6; 2 Cor. 3:18]. This will create enough joy in us to persevere in our faith and our discipleship until the Last Day, and that joy will be centered in the Lord Jesus and in the precious fellowship of His dear people, our fellow believers. And this is joy that no one will be able to take from us! [John 16:22]
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, help us to understand more deeply Your heart and Your mind, and to have the same joy that compelled Your self-sacrifice for our salvation. Draw us out of our darkness and into the joy of discipleship, a willingness to deny self, take up our cross, and to follow You no matter what. Enable us to more deeply and fully receive Your Words that we may know You and the Father, the only True and Living God, and the joy of eternal life. Amen.