Learning Jesus | Week 27
Learning Jesus Week 27
Always, the Father Wills Glory
Key Word – passion >> Central Passage – John 12:20-36
Days 1 and 2
Background Information – We are halfway through Learning Jesus, so we might imagine that we are only a year and a half into Jesus’ public ministry, but that would be incorrect. At this point in our study, Jesus is in His last days of ministry. What this tells us is that the gospel writers prioritized their papyrus to Jesus’ final teachings and His death and resurrection. We are now Learning Jesus in slow-mo.
Jesus’ public ministry, which lasted three years, began and ended during the celebration of the Passover Feast. During this Feast, the Jews remembered that God set them free from slavery in Egypt; central to their celebration was the sacrifice of a perfect male lamb.
Read John 11:55-12:1.
1. Jesus purposefully let Lazarus die so He could raise him again to be the final sign to the Jews that He is the Son of God, their long-awaited Messiah. How has Lazarus’ resurrection affected –
o the Jews
o the leaders
o Lazarus
o Jesus Himself?
Background Information – This next text recounts what churches often celebrate as “Palm Sunday.” Jesus’ disciples and the common people of Israel believed that Jesus rode into Jerusalem to offer Himself as King Messiah and to set up His Kingdom. If we only noted the actions and words of the disciples and the people, we might assume the same. But we are privileged to know the suffering King and Messiah and His vindicating resurrection. We know that after Jewish leadership rejected Jesus as Messiah, He rescinded His offer to that generation and promised judgment instead (Matthew 12:22-45). Even if we missed understanding Matthew 12, a careful study of this next text in Matthew 21 should make Jesus’ purposes clear. As you listen today, note what the disciples and the common people say and do, but pay closer attention to how Jesus is in control. Note how He orchestrates the details and how He responds to those who proclaim Him as Messiah and to those who reject Him.
Read Matthew 21:1-11, 14-17.
2. Go through the story and underline or note what Jesus says and what Jesus does. Although Jesus is not offering the Kingdom or Himself as King for Israel at this time, how is He still demonstrating that He is indeed the fully man, fully God King?
3. Go through the story and underline or note all the different types of persons who are responding to Jesus. What do you think motivates each response to Him?
Background Information – Again we see the people proclaiming Jesus as Messiah. Did Jesus reject their conclusions? No. But we did see Him refining them. Note that Jesus Himself requisitioned a colt to fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 about the coming of a king humble enough to enter Jerusalem upon a donkey still in keeping with its mother. Why do the people spread palms and call out “Hosanna”? Dr. Fruchtenbaum states that they act in response to Zechariah 14:16-21, which prophesies that the Feast of Tabernacles will be fulfilled by the Messianic Kingdom. During the Exodus the Israelites lived in temporary tents, yet God still tabernacled among them. God commanded the Israelites to remember that by commanding them to create little dwellings from palm leaves to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
Jesus was about to fulfill a feast, but it was the Feast of Passover. On the tenth of Nissan, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a unbroken donkey; this is the very day the Jews brought their Passover lamb into their homes. The lamb would live with them until the fourteenth of Nissan so that they could examine the lamb to ensure it was spotless and without blemish (Exodus 12:3-6). In a later lesson, we shall see that Jesus the Lamb of God is also tested.
Read Luke 19:41-44.
Background Information – Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem is fulfilled in A.D. 70 when Jerusalem is destroyed. Literally, one stone was not left upon the other because after the Temple was burned, Jewish conquerors leveled all stones in order to procure the gold melted between them.
4. Review the details. Take your time to be in this scene and think through the implications.
o When does this scene occur in the context of Jesus’ mission?
o Where does it take place?
o Who all is involved and affected?
o Why does Jesus weep?
Day 3
Read Mark 11:12-14.
Background Information – When a fig tree in Israel produces its leaves, it also produces paggim or “green figs,” which are edible flowers covered by a soft skin. So Jesus was not seeking the actual figs that would appear six weeks after the figs’ leaves appeared; He was expecting to satisfy His hunger with these edible knobs. Was Jesus in His humanity simply “hangry”? A clue lies in the opening words of this text: “On the following day.”
1. Jesus is still teaching His disciples, and if He does anything, it’s for a reason. If He does a strange thing like curse a fig tree, that is sure to capture His students’ attention. His action, then, is figurative language, so try to figure out why Jesus curses the fig tree. One way to do this is just to talk out loud the literal details. Don’t forget this takes place “on the following day.” Re-read the last text from Day 2.
Read Mark 11:15-18.
Background Information – Does this event seem familiar? When Jesus began His ministry He also cleaned out the Temple on thatPassover saying, “...do not make my Father’s house a house of trade” (John 2:13-16).
2. Jesus cleans the Temple at the beginning of His ministry and at the end of His ministry. Both times on a Passover.
o What does this cleansing say about the nation of Israel’s spiritual state?
o What is He proclaiming about Himself?
3. In our text yesterday, Jesus wept over Jerusalem because she did not know “the things that make for peace.” In our texts today, He cursed a fig tree that has physical evidence that it will surely not bear figs, and then the Son of God got physical with all who impeded believers from seeking His Father at His house. Meditate on our fully God fully man Savior’s emotions. How do His emotions and actions reveal His heart for humanity?
Day 4 CENTRAL PASSAGE
Background Information – John identifies those who approached Philip as Greeks, which indicates they are Gentiles. They came to Jerusalem to worship at the Feast of Passover, so they are converts to Judaism. We don’t actually know if Jesus ever met with these Greeks; we only can see in this passage how Jesus “answered” the Gentiles’ request to see Him by outlining God’s will for His death and resurrection for His disciples once again.
Read John 12:20-28a.
1. Review Jesus’ answer (vs23-27)
o Salvation Call -- Compare a physically dead grain of wheat to a spiritually dead person (vs 24-25)
o Discipleship Call -- Who can be a true follower of Jesus? (v26)
o Jesus’ Example -- How is Jesus feeling about His own death? (v27)
o Jesus’ Example -- Despite Jesus’ feelings, what is His will? Why? (v28a)
Optional Memory Verse – Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. John 12:25-26
Read John 12:28b-36.
This is the third time the Father has spoken from heaven regarding His Son. Review the first two times in the chart below to consider why God chose to speak.
Background Information – Now that Gentiles are seeking Him, Jesus states, “NOW is my soul troubled” and references again the hour of His passion and glorification. THEN God the Father speaks from heaven. We are meant to see the connection between these events.
2. The Father’s Affirmation
o According to Jesus, for whose benefit does the Father speak? (v30)
o Why does Jesus follow this with the judgment of the world and the judgment of Satan? Consider what this has to do with the Gentiles. (vs 31-33)
o Why do you think the Father spoke from heaven at Jesus’ baptism and transfiguration and then now? (see chart)
3. In our past few weeks, we have noticed the gospel writers drawing our attention to Jesus’ emotions.
o What do you think was Jesus’ tone (attitude) when He answered the multitude’s question about the Son of MAN? (vs 35-36)
o Why?
Day 5
Background Information – In the Greek when John writes “...they still did not believe him,” it means “they kept on not believing.” A pattern we see in Scripture is that when a person or group of persons persists in unbelief, then God gives them over to their unbelief. This is not God “giving up,” but God exercising judgment. One example is when Moses writes that God hardened Pharoah’s heart (Exodus 9:12). Of his own will, Pharoah hardened his heart. Because he hardened his heart repeatedly, God judged him by giving him over to unbelief. Israel had a history of unbelief, and Isaiah warned the nation that one day God’s judgment upon them would be blindness (Isaiah 6:1-10; 53:1).
Read John 12:37-43.
1. In the Old Testament, God refers to Israel as His son. Contrast how Israel as son responds to the Father’s will to how Jesus the Son responds to the Father’s will.
Read John 12:44-50.
2. When Jesus returns for His Second Coming, He will judge the world.
o What is Jesus’ mission at this first coming? (vs44-47)
o What will judge the one who does not believe when Jesus returns? (v48)
o Why will that judge the unbeliever? (v49-50)
3. If you say you believe Jesus is the Messiah who died on the cross for your sins and then rose on the third day, then you should know the Light of the World and be a child of light.
o How has your life just this week shown as tangibly as light in a dark room that you are God’s child? Your example can be something “small.”
o Are those actions in response to God’s work in you or are those examples motivated by a desire to please people? (vs42-43)
re-jesus space
This re-jesus space is where we will take time as a Christ community to ensure we are applying the truth we know to our lives in real time. Not just talking about what we will do, but doing it now and together.
Jesus’ Sunday -- Now that Jesus has raised Lazarus from the dead, the leaders want to kill Him and Lazarus too. When He rides into Jerusalem on a colt, the leaders are indignant because the people are praising Him. Jesus does not set up His kingdom in Jerusalem; instead He prophesies the city will be destroyed soon and He weeps over it.
Jesus’ Monday -- Jesus curses a fig tree that didn’t do what it was created to do. Then He tosses temple tables. Then He admits He is troubled, but remains committed to glorifying the Father. And the Father responds to Him: I have and always will glorify my name. Then Jesus calls Jews to believe and to follow. Some leaders do believe, but they do not follow Him because they fear getting kicked out of the synagogue.
1. Circle what the Father says. How does that bring perspective to all the other events in those two days?
One thing we noted throughout this lesson is that the gospel writers are highlighting Jesus’ emotions in His last week before His passion and glorification. Despite all, Jesus is in control. What controls Him? Bringing glory to the Father whom He LOVES and TRUSTS because He KNOWS the Father has always and will always bring glory to His name.This relationship actively controls Him.
self-control noun /ˌself.kənˈtrəʊl/ displaying disciplined moderation in the midst of any type of uninvited pain; the ability to actively control your emotions and actions
Uninvited pain could look like someone cutting you off in traffic, your laptop’s malfunction, a child’s disrespect, a professor’s negligence, a spouse’s irresponsibility, changes in how your body functions.
2. Process your past two-day relationship with God.
o Share a moment you practiced self-control in the midst of uninvited pain.
What actively controlled you in that moment?
o Share a moment you did not practice self-control in the midst of uninvited pain.
What passively controlled you in that moment?
3. Plan your next two-day relationship with God.
Who are we really impatient with when we do not display disciplined moderation in the everyday uninvited pains? _____ Does that truth motivate you to actively make every effort to grow in self-control? _____ Do you KNOW that God has always brought glory to Himself and will always bring glory to Himself in your life? _____ Do you know that your glory is bound up in His? _____
o When we want to grow in our devotion to God and His glory, we need to think about how we devote our time. What simple change could you make over the next two days to build your trust in God?
o We grow in millimeters, not kilometers. How would putting this change into practice grow your love for God?
What are we growing towards? Jesus is less than a week away from the cross. His commitment to glorify the Father in the midst of invited pain requires Him in His humanity to depend upon the Spirit. That discipline of self-control will reach its climax during His trial, what we call the passion. We are growing toward perseverance under trial, when what is truly on trial is our love for God.
Deep Think (Optional) Learn more about why we call the passion of Christ, the passion here -- https://aleteia.org/2024/02/07/why-is-the-passion-of-christ-called-passion
COMMUNITY GROUP TIME
• Discuss the Central Passage questions. (This week that is John 12:20-36. )
• Open Share Time -- Allow time for each to share “starred” insights or questions from Days 1-5.
• Is anyone able to recite all or part of John 12:25-26?
• re-jesus space
• Close in prayer.