John [chapter 12]

*Every Wednesday @ Ezra Chapel, start-time 7:15pm. ​*Every Wednesday from 7:15pm to 8:30pm at Ezra Chapel, come walk with us into the Gospel According to John. Reading through verse-by-verse with reflection. Let's all grow as people of God in the Word of God! Walk into the Word, Walk out to your world! Amen!

​Wednesday Walk into the Word
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN 요한복음 (part 13):
The Hour has Come to be Glorified 영광을 얻을 때가 왔도다 [chapter 12]
THE HOUR TO ANNOINT AND BELIEVE (12:1-11)
(Question #1) “Six days before the Passover” is a time marker indicating the last week before the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. From chapter 12 onward, nearly the rest of the gospel according to John is devoted to Jesus’ last seven days. After raising Lazarus from the dead (chapter 11), Jesus was no longer able to walk openly in public so He withdrew into the wilderness to a town called Ephraim (10:54), due to the hostile Jewish leaders who were plotting to arrest and put Him to death. They plotted this against Jesus because they were selfish, fearing the ruling Roman authorities would take away both their “place and nation” (11:48) by the uproar of Jesus’ miracles and teachings. As the Passover feast drew near, these hostile Jewish leaders were looking if Jesus would be coming to Jerusalem. Here, we see Jesus was able to make it back to Bethany to where Lazarus was, just two miles outside of Jerusalem. Lazarus’ sisters Martha and Mary were also there, hosting a dinner for Him. This dinner appears to be at the house of Simon the leper (Matthew 26:6; Mark 14:3). Out of gratitude for raising Lazarus from the dead, what was Martha, Lazarus, and Mary doing in this house (verse 1-3)?
[*REFLECT #1a] What does godly gratitude produce? When we are truly thankful to how Jesus has raised our lives back from spiritual (and ultimately physical) death, what do we do?
[*REFLECT #1b] Describe Mary’s actions. How was it remarkably humble, sacrificial, undignified?
[*REFLECT #1c] Judas did not approve of Mary’s actions, for he had calculated the ointment to be nearly a year’s salary (300 denarii, 1 denarii = one day’s wage) to give to the poor. But why did Judas really say this (verse 4-6)?
[*REFLECT #1d] Can we put a price tag on the expressions of thankfulness to the Lord? How is our calculating making us thieves over thankers of Jesus Christ?
[*REFLECT #1e] How did Jesus reply to Judas (verse 7-8)? Although we need to care for the poor and other societal problems, why is solving poverty or any other social injustice issue not the focus of our serving, sacrificing, giving?
[*REFLECT #1f] Finally, the hostile Jewish leaders learn of Jesus’ arrival at a house in Bethany, but it wasn’t only Jesus they were after. What do they make plans for and why (verse 9-11)?
[*REFLECT #1g] On account of you, are people drawn towards Jesus or drawn away from Jesus? Why?
THE HOUR FOR KINGSHIP AND GLORY (12:12-36)
(Question #2) From Bethany, Jesus now makes the short two-mile journey to Jerusalem for a final time, but in a very specific way. How does He desire to enter the city and why does He enter it that way (verse 12-15)? What kind of Hosanna (=save me, savior) cry are we making to Jesus – to be saved from what?
(Question #3) The Jewish spiritual leaders sought to stop the growing crowds from following Jesus. They had already sought to catch and kill Lazarus, but even as they continued to plot and resist, what was growing more and more (verse 16-19)?
(Question #4) More interest in Jesus is arising, as not only in Jews but also Greeks who come to see Him. Jesus teaches that the hour has come for His death (to be glorified). If we are to follow and serve this Jesus who willingly lays down His life for us, how must we lose and even hate our life in this world? (verse 20-26)?
(Question #5) For the crowds gathered, the Father God affirms with His thunderous voice the glory of Jesus through His death. When Jesus is lifted up from the earth on the cross, what will He do (verse 27-36)? Where is the Light directing you to go?
THE HOUR OF UNBELIEF OR SALVATION (12:36-50)
(Question #6) Jesus departs again from the crowds. Why (verse 36-40)? Why did Isaiah say these things (verse 41)? Even though the authorities believed in Jesus, why couldn’t they confess it (verse 42-43)? Like Isaiah, if we’ve seen the glory of Jesus, what are we to do with it?
(Question #7) When we believe in Jesus, who else are we believing in (verse 44-45)? Why did Jesus come as Light (verse 46-50)?