Text: John 12:27-50

Some 30 years or so ago, I asked my Sunday school class this question “What does the Bible say if you never existed?” Admittedly, that initially comes off as one of those annoying philosophical questions, but in light of our text, it came to mind.

We live at a time in when everything seems to be evaluated through the lens of our opinion. What do I think of this? This affliction is not limited to unbelievers. Most of us, if we’re honest, have to work very hard to resist the temptation to live according to what we think & want. We congratulate ourselves if we pause long enough to listen to what others think. Which includes Sunday sermons. With me?

Jesus was the ultimate contrarian. No matter what any of us want, or think He ought to be, He steadfastly resisted all attempts to get Him to deviate from His Father’s plan. How different would the world be if we were so committed?

In John 12:37-50 the Berean in the Apostle John caused him to look back into the Old Testament for verification that the Jesus he witnessed, was in fact, the exact fulfillment of what Isaiah foretold three quarters of a millennia before. Then, in verses 42 & 43 in a way not unlike Paul’s advice in 2 Corinthian’s 13:5, he reminded us it’s important to test our faith to be sure what we believe about Christ isn’t superficial “belief”. Do you believe and know He is truly in us? Does it cost us anything? Anything?

And last, but not least, recalling what Jesus had said, John wrote down for us what Jesus said about Himself and His Father. That He and the Father are light (present tense). All else nets out to darkness.

As hard as it might be, consider today’s text as if your opinion on it was irrelevant. What does the Bible say about Jesus if you never existed to render an opinion? It’s hard, but try. What does the Bible say about the Messiah we actually need, regardless of what we may want Him to be?

My prayer for you today is this: If you haven’t already, that you will come to the same conclusion as the Apostle John and find that Jesus is the Messiah you need.