42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.
45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.
46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.
47 And if anyone hears My words and does not ]believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.
48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.
49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.
50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”
John 12:42-50
1. Among the rulers of the Jews
a) John made this observation
b) There were believers among the rulers of the Jews
2. Fear of the Pharisees
a) This sect was very influential
b) These rulers held sway in the Sanhedrin Council
c) They could cause a person to be excommunicated from a synagogue
d) They did this to the man-born-blind when he professed faith in the Lord Jesus (John 9:34)
e) This was a very real fear
3. An added problem
a) They loved the praise of men
i) If they did not disclose their faith in the Lord Jesus
ii) They would be praised
iii) They would hear words of condemnation if they confessed faith in the Lord Jesus
b) More than the praise of God
i) If they had confessed fain in the Lord Jesus, they would have the praise of God
ii) But the praise of God may not be as open as that of the praise of men
A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE LORD JESUS
44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.
45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.
46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.
John 12:44-46
1. The Lord Jesus spoke about what it means to believe in Him
a) The person who believes in the Lord Jesus
b) He does more than just believing in Him
c) He, in fact, is believing in God who had sent the Lord Jesus
2. He added another important truth
a) The person who believes can see who the Lord Jesus really is
b) He can, in fact, see God Himself, who had sent the Lord Jesus
c) This was the kind of faith that the Lord Jesus would like them to have
3. The Lord Jesus is the Light of the world
a) This truth was proclaimed a number of times already
i) John 8:12
ii) John 9:5
iii) John 12:35
iv) John 12:46
b) Faith in the Lord
i) One is able to walk in the light
ii) He need not walk in darkness
CONCLUSION
1. The challenge to have an Ideal faith
2. Deal with the problem of a fearful faith
3. To have fear in the heart is to walk in darkness
4. There is every reason to walk in the light of the Lord Jesus