John

Check out all the previous John readings here.

John Reading Plan | Week 15, Day 5

Prayer

As you draw near to spend time with Jesus, quiet your mind and body until you feel completely present. Express your gratitude to Jesus for coming to save you!

Bible Reading: John 12:37-50

Read these verses three times slowly.

Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

“Lord, who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

“He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
nor understand with their hearts,
nor turn—and I would heal them.”

Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.

Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.

Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

Reflection & Questions

We reach the end of our readings this week and the final days of Jesus’ ministry. In these verses, John gives us a summary of the response to Jesus’ ministry. Unfortunately, it spells out the failure of the Jews to receive their Messiah.

John writes, “Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.” But this is no surprise. It was prophesied long before Jesus arrived, that he would come to His own and they would reject Him.

Shockingly, even though they had seen Lazarus rise from the dead, their stubborn hearts “still would not believe in him.” John Piper comments, “As a man, he was simply not the stuff Messiah’s are made of. Not the kind of Messiah they wanted.”

Even those who believed, their faith was weak. “They would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.”

The reality is that the gospel is an offensive message. It is a message that requires us to bow the knee, to surrender. To give up our preconceived notions about what God should do and what God should be like, and receive and love Him as He is (which is far more wonderful that we could ever imagine). God will not always act as we would wish and we will not always agree. Our choice at that point is will we harden our hearts or respond with submission.

P.S.If you would like to read more about what the prophecy from Isaiah means this is a link to a message by Dr. John Piper.

1. What words or phrases from these verses encourage you today? Why?
2. Do you love human praise more than praise from God? How do you know?

Prayer

Talk to God in response to the reading today.

Worship Song

You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:

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Questions?