The Warrior of Light
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Confronting the dangers of the Theology of unbelief.
Text: John 12:37-43
Date: 11/18/2018, the Traditional service.
Series: "John: Encountering Love" Part 111
Description:
After warning the crowd in the Temple to walk in His Light while they can, Jesus withdraws as if to dramatically make His point that the Light is on the move and those who do not move with it will be lost in darkness. This sparks an editorial discussion by John on the Theology of the darkness of unbelief. Quoting Isaiah he establishes that unbelief is a train that runs on two parallel and concurrent tracks: God's sovereignty and human responsibility. Without absolving the Jews from the guilt of their rejection of Jesus, John introduces the concept of Divine Judicial Hardening as the overarching reason for their unbelief. We will struggle with the disturbing implications this paradox has for our own church and country, as we consider what happens to a society when the darkness of unbelief grows unchecked and unchallenged. We will discover that just as the body has an immune system designed to protect it against viruses, Christ established the church in part to protect society from the ravages of the darkness of unbelief. Ultimately we will see the profound emphasis this places on the church as the Warrior of Light-- called and commissioned to confront and counteract the darkness of unbelief with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, John 12:37-43.
A. Context
B. The Theology of unbelief, vs. 37-41.
1. The human responsibility of unbelief, vs. 37.
a. Plenty of signs, John 20:30.
b. But still stubborn unbelief.
c. Implied guilt.
2. The fulfillment of Scripture, vs. 38.
a. Evidence of God's Providence.
b. Rejection foretold, Isa. 53:1.
i. Focus on the message, Matt. 4:17, John 12:46, 11:25.
ii. God's sovereignty in revelation.
iii. The one-two punch of apostling, John 9:41.
3. Divine judicial hardening, vs. 39-40.
a. Incapable of belief, vs. 39a.
b. Isaiah's challenge, vs. 39b-40.
i. Isaiah's calling, Isa. 6:8,9.
ii. Struggling with the meaning.
c. A legacy of unbelief.
d. Defining "Divine Judicial Hardening", John 3:19.
4. The glory that is Christ, vs. 41, Isa. 6:1,3-4, John 12:31-32.
5. Summarizing the Theology of Unbelief, Rom. 9:18, 2Th. 2:11.
C. The Light at the end of the tunnel, vs. 42-43.
1. After darkness-- Light, vs. 42a, John 11:45, 12:11, 1:10-13.
2. An implicit warning, vs. 42b-43, Acts 6:7, John 12:25-26.
III. Application
A. Why is this passage here?
B. Three keys of the Theology of unbelief, Rev. 2:5.
C. After darkness, light.
IV. Conclusion
