John 12:44-50 – Jesus’ closing challenge

Jesus had come to the close of His public ministry, so He gave a final challenge. He likened those who chose to live in unbelief to be living in darkness and sin. This way of living was exactly the opposite to His life and teaching. No one who believes in Jesus should stay in darkness. Jesus solemnly warned those who chose to remain in unbelief that they would have to face the judgement by the word He had spoken.

Having a relationship with Christ is having a relationship with God. He and the Father has a perfect union. He came to make the Father known. The word “seeing” here refers to knowing. It is an experiential thing. So when we know Christ, we know God. We know that He is the One who had sent Jesus on this mission. He came here as light to reveal God and to expose the need of man, so as to deliver them from the domain of darkness and ruin.

This first coming of Jesus was not to judge man but to redeem them. He came as a man to do that. The purpose of His first mission is to woo man and win them for His eternal Kingdom. But when He comes again, He will come as the Sovereign Judge. In verse 48 Jesus indicated that we, man, must take the responsibility required of us. We have the right of choice. We can choose to believe God or to reject Him. God had created us with a will and we must exercise our will to respond positively to the message Christ came to deliver. Our volition enables us to acknowledge the truth of God or reject them. When a person choses to reject Christ and His word, he has in essence chosen to reject God, and will have to face His judgement ultimately.

Let’s keep verse 48 close to our hearts. Whatever had taken place in time will not last forever. There is going to be a last day. God will determine the length of history. That day will come when this world will be folded and everything burnt up. Jesus indicated here that there will be a judgement. That last day is a day of judgement. God will then show that He indeed is God. Every enemy will be subjugated and every knee shall bow, and confess the Lordship of Christ. Every person will have to face the judgement and be evaluated by the Word of Christ.

John re-enforced the fact that Jesus and the Father are one. Every word He had spoken is God’s word. Christ had only spoken as directed by the Father. Again we see the intimate union between Christ and the Father in heaven. Hence it is a terrible thing not to believe in the testimony of Jesus. In verse 50 we have Christ’s own declaration, and in a sense His invitation to life.

Everything about Christ Jesus serves only one purpose: that is to save us lost sinners. His life, His ministry, His miracles, His message, and His desire all culminate in that one purpose. There are two sides to life. We can choose to live in darkness or in the light. Jesus had made a compelling case for why we should choose light over darkness. But the choice remains ours to make! Now Jesus, the eternal Joshua, challenges us saying, choose this day whom you shall serve!