Sermon Central
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Seeking Before Hiding
Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 10, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: Jesus predicts his death. (PowerPoint slides to accompany this talk are available on request - email: gcurley@gcurley.info)
Seeking before Hiding
Reading: John chapter 12 verses 1-50.
Quote:
• Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery.
• Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present!
Ill:
Time video clip.
Quote:
• Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery.
• Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present!
Quote:
• It is sadly ironic how it takes horrific events to place things into perspective,
• But it so often does.
• In the U.S.A. on September 11th 2001.
• 2,974 people died as an immediate result of terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda,
• Many of us saw the pictures, the events happening on our TV screens;
• And I guess those images will stay with us throughout our lives.
• One preacher Doug Kershaw wrote these words in one of his sermons:
• Entitled ‘What a Difference A Day Makes’:
“On Monday we emailed jokes.
On Tuesday we did not.
On Monday we thought that we were secure.
On Tuesday we learned better.
On Monday we were talking about heroes as being athletes.
On Tuesday we relearned who our heroes are.
On Monday we were irritated that our rebate checks had not arrived.
On Tuesday we gave money away to people we had never met.
On Monday there were people fighting against praying in school.
On Tuesday you would have been hard pressed to find a school where someone was not praying.
On Monday people argued with their kids about picking up their room.
On Tuesday the same people could not get home fast enough to hug their kids.
On Monday people were upset that they had to wait 6 minutes in a fast food line.
On Tuesday people didn't care about waiting up to 6 hours to give blood to the dying.
On Monday we waved our flags signifying our cultural diversity.
On Tuesday we waved only the American flag.
On Monday there were people trying to separate each other by race, sex, colour and creed.
On Tuesday they were all holding hands.
On Monday we were man or woman, black or white, old or young, rich or poor, gay or straight, Christian or non-Christian.
On Tuesday we were Americans.
On Monday politician argued about budget surpluses.
On Tuesday grief stricken they sang "God Bless America".
On Monday the President was going to Florida to read to children.
On Tuesday he returned to Washington to protect our children.
On Monday we had families.
On Tuesday we had orphans.
On Monday people went to work as usual.
On Tuesday they died.
On Monday people were fighting the 10 commandments on government property.
On Tuesday the same people all said "God help us all" while thinking "Thou Shall Not Kill".
• It is sadly ironic how it takes horrific events to place things into perspective,
• But it so often does.
• In John 12, Jesus begins his last week on earth.
• Pain, rejection, and death await Him,
• YET he can face it all because He has accepted God's plan,
• 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 23: "Entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously"
(1). A Survey of the Final Week
• After Jesus brought Lazarus back to life,
• The infuriated Pharisees made serious plans to kill Him.
• But Jesus was always one step ahead of the Pharisees;
• They would not take his life, he would give it!
• He would lay down his life when the time was right!
• When he decided, it would be his choice not theirs!
• So (chapter 11 verses 53-54) Jesus withdrew with His disciples to Ephraim,
• Ephraim was a remote city north of Jerusalem, it was on the edge of the Judean desert.
Notice:
• At this juncture, Jesus begins to alter His ministry.
• Three very important changes take place:
• FIRST, He changes His public outreach to a private one-
• He moves from seeking the multitudes to sequestering Himself with the disciples.
• Chapter 12 verse 36b:
• “When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them”.
• SECOND, He shifts His emphasis away from signs to teaching.
• He concentrates on quiet, intimate conversation with His disciples;
• That is what takes place in chapters 13-17.
• In fact, the raising of Lazarus is the last sign of Jesus until His own Resurrection.
• AND THIRD, He reduces His travels,
• Returning to Jerusalem and staying there (12: 12).
• He's not out evangelising;
• He's preparing to leave and preparing the disciples for His departure.
Pause:
What about Your Last Week?
• If you knew you had only one more week to live,
• How would you spend your time?
• I guess it would show us what is really important to you?
• It would be a stark reminder as to our current priorities in life!
