October 28, 2020 -- John 12:30 -- Deeply reassured of the Father's love

Jesus answered, “The voice has come for your sake, not mine.”

John 12:30 English Standard Version

This is Jesus’ last speech which He gave before crowds prior to His trial and crucifixion. After this chapter there will be several chapters of Jesus’ farewell address to His disciples. The context here is important—Jesus has crowds of people in front of Him, some love Him, some hate, some are confused, some are detractors scorning and wondering Who He really Is. The Father in heaven spoke to Jesus. It was a majestic, thundering voice. Some in the crowd just heard thunder. Others heard the word of the Father, the affirmation of the Father. Yet, consider Jesus’ simple explanation, “The voice has come for your sake, not mine.”

Think how often you need affirmation. You can become completely deflated if someone doesn’t say thank you. If your boss criticizes you for something you left undone while ignoring all the things and times you went above and beyond what was required. So much of your sense of equilibrium is based on approval given or approval withheld.

Jesus is not like you in this way. He was not seeking approbation from the crowd. Jesus walked in the deep reassurance that His Father in heaven loved Him and approved His work. Through-out His life, Jesus was rejected by His own people, family, disciples and hated by the religious authorities. How did Jesus cope? He trusted the Word of God—the Old Testament—the assurance He is the beloved one of God. He leaned into the Spirit of God—given to Him without measure—not seeking His worth in fickle human kudos. He was confident in the approval of His Father in heaven.

Dearly loved children of God—how easy it is for you to look for approval from people. You are hungering after the wrong sustenance. You are made by God the Father—fearfully and wonderfully He made you in the womb (Psalm 139). You are valuable because of your origins. You are valuable because healthy or sick, rich or poor, famous or infamous you are intimately known by God. That is your greatest treasure to belong to Him by the accomplished work of Jesus and kept as His workmanship, loved children not based on what you do or don’t do, you are dearly children who are saved by grace alone through faith alone by Christ alone by Scripture alone for the glory of God alone so that you don’t boast in yourselves, but your boast all the day is in the Triune God of Glory!

Blessed Jesus, thank You for the rescue story You have given us. Father in heaven, blessed are You and we thank You for rescuing us from the kingdom of death and darkness and bringing us to the kingdom of Light, the Kingdom of the Son You love. Spirit of God, rescuer of the lost, keeper of the wayward, apply all these rich and extravagant blessings so that our insecurities melt away in the light of the radiance of Jesus Christ and whether we are love by the world or hated, we will have the bold courage and peaceful security to live for Jesus. Amen.