Good Sunday Morning. It’s the Fifth Sunday of Lent. It’s already Palm Sunday in just a week. Jesus’ time with us on earth as a man was such a short time and was getting even shorter as He approached Jerusalem for High Feast. Let’s see what the Smart Book has to say about that time;
John 12:20-33 King James Version
20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: 21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. 22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. 27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. 30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. 31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
So, even some Greeks would come up worship at the Feast. They desired to see Jesus. What more could a hungry heart desire, but to see the Lord. Jesus told them that the time had come for Him to be glorified. He had to die so that many Disciples could be fruitful is spreading the Good News. God the Father honor all Disciples of Christ. He knew that His death would be very painful, but He wanted to glorify the name of the Father. A voice came from heaven sounding like thunder saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd was amazed. Jesus told them that the voice was not for Him, but for them. “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” He let the crowd know that He was going to be crucified and in it He would draw all men unto Him.
It wasn’t so much the crucifixion, but the fact that He rose from the dead. I want you to see something though, when He was crucified, He took God’s judgment for all mankind’s sin. He also cast the Prince of this world out. He became the Prince of the power of the air. He could no longer be here physically. He now tries to deceive man through other means, such as gossip, radio, television, and now the internet. You can’t see him, but he is at work deceiving whomever he may. In the Book of Revelation it speaks of a beast and his mark. The mark of the beast is what is operating in your mind and the one who you are working for with your hand. Are you working and thinking upon things of the Lord, or of the beast. He will try to deceive mankind again into thinking that mankind can have all knowledge if only he would bow down and serve the beast. Don’t be deceived by an already defeated beast and his system. True knowledge comes from the Lord and the Lord alone, and that knowledge comes with love, true love of your creator.