APRIL 8, 2018
THE VOICE FROM HEAVEN
INTRODUCTION:
1. There are depths here in the passage before us which we are unable to fathom thoroughly, yet by carefully looking at these verses we may gather lessons of great importance.
2. For one thing we see proved that wonderful and cardinal doctrine of imputation. It was the imputation of man’s sin to Christ that was the cause of His great agony. “Now is my soul troubled.” We see Him who could heal diseases with a touch, cast out devils with a word, in great agony and conflict of spirit. What else could have caused it?
3. There is a great mystery here unfolded. That mystery is the possibility of much inward conflict of soul without sin. We cannot begin to conceive of the depths and intensity of Christ’s suffering. We hear the agonizing cry, and the desperate prayer of suffering flesh and blood, yet there was willing and hearty submission to what He knew was His Father’s will. (Verse 27)
4. We have the miracle of the heavenly voice heard now yet a third time (See Matt. 3:17; 17:5) that was meant to show the intimate and unbroken union of God the Father and God the Son throughout the Son’s earthly ministry.
5. We have also a great prophecy delivered in which it is assuredly declared that by Christ’s death all men (peoples, nations) shall be drawn to Him.
I. FIRST, WE HAVE CHRIST’S AGONY OF SOUL, AND THE PRAYER THAT HE OFFERED OUT OF IT. (VERSES 27, 28)
A. THE TIME IN WHICH HE SAID THIS IS SOMEWHAT SURPRISING. (VERSE 27)
1. “NOW is my soul troubled.” Why now? Why is His soul troubled at a time when one might have expected that He would be pleased? (Verses 13, 20, 21)
2. Jesus was ever mindful of His mission, and what was now soon to take place. (Matt. 16:21; 17:22, 23; Luke 9:22)
3. Those who participated in His Triumphal Entrance into the city did not understand what His triumph would entail, but He did. (See Verses 31, 32)
B. CHRIST BEGAN TO DREAD THE AWFUL SUFFERING AND AGONY THAT WAS NOW APPROACHING. “Now is my soul troubled.”
1. To say, as some do, that the cause of our Lord’s trouble of soul was the prospect of His own painful death on the cross is very unsatisfactory.
a) Many martyrs that we have read about have gone through horrendous physical agonies, and done so in calm and courageous silence.
b) Our Lord’s trouble of soul was in anticipation of sufferings that went far, far beyond any mere physical pain and agony.
c) Yet there are those who see in Christ’s death only an example of self-sacrifice.
2. Nothing can ever explain our Lord’s agony of soul, both here and in Gethsemane, except the fact that He felt the burden of man’s sin pressing Him down.
a) It was the awful weight of man’s guilt imputed to Him, and meeting on His head, which made Him groan and cry “Now is my soul troubled.”
b) That which caused our Lord’s great agony is the only true comfort for the heart of a Christian – that our sins were really laid on our Divine substitute, and borne away by Him; and that His righteousness is really imputed to us and accounted ours. (Isa. 53:6; II Cor. 5:21)
C. WE SEE IN OUR BLESSED SAVIOR’S PRAYER THE MIGHTY MENTAL STRUGGLE THAT HE WAS HERE UNDERGOING. (VERSE 27)
1. The question: “What shall I say?” This struggle arises from the natural feeling of one who was perfect man, and as man could feel himself in a strait, if you will.
2. The prayer of suffering flesh and blood: “Father, save me from this hour?” This would be the equivalent of saying, “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” (Matt. 26:39)
3. The meek confession: “For this cause came I unto this hour.” This is essentially the same as saying, “Not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
4. The petition of perfect submission: “Father, glorify thy name.” This is the same as to say, “Thy will be done,” for God’s will is for His own glory.
D. WE SEE NEXT THE FATHER’S ANSWER TO THE PRAYER OF THE SON. (VERSE 28)
1. The manner in which the Father answered was miraculous. “Then came there a voice from heaven.”
a) This wondrous voice was heard three times during our Lord’s earthly ministry.
(1) At His baptism. (Luke 3:21, 22)
(2) At His transfiguration. (Matt. 17:5)
(3) Here at Jerusalem in the midst of this great multitude.
b) God spoke to the prophets “in divers manners,” but to speak in an audible voice was an honor reserved for the Son alone.
2. The answer was an express return to the Son’s petition, “Father glorify thy name.” The Father said, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it yet again.”
a) This answer can either be applied to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the Father declaring that He was glorified in His incarnation, life, works, and miracles; and would yet be glorified in His death, resurrection, and ascension;
b) Or, it may be applied to the whole course of God’s dealing with creation from the beginning. God had glorified His name in all ages which had gone before, and He would do so again in the end of the age in accomplishing the work of man’s redemption.
c) I personally lean toward the first view, though certainly there is truth in both.
E. WE ARE TOLD THE OPINIONS OF THE STANDERS-BY CONCERNING THE VOICE. (VERSE 29)
1. Some who were apparently not paying attention said it thundered.
2. Others knew that there was a plain articulate voice and thought an angel had spoken.
3. We may hope that there were some who realized what this was, and understood what was said, and bore record of it, since it was for their sake that God spoke.
II. THE ACCOUNT THAT OUR LORD HIMSELF GAVE OF THE VOICE FROM HEAVEN. (VERSES 30-33)
A. HE TELLS WHY THE VOICE WAS SENT. (VERSE 30)
1. The miraculous voice was not for His own sake, to comfort Him and help Him. “Not because of me…” Had it been for His sake, it might have been whispered in His ear privately.
2. The voice from heaven spoke for the sake of the people. “…but for your sakes.”
a) That all who heard it might believe that the Father had sent Him.
b) That the disciples might be encouraged to follow Him in His sufferings.
c) Notice, it was for our sake that He sanctified Himself.
B. HE EXPLAINS THE MEANING OF WHAT WAS SAID. (VERSE 31)
1. “Now is the judgment of this world.” What does this mean?
a) The time had come when a sentence of condemnation should be passed by the death of Christ on the whole order of things which had prevailed in the world since the creation.
b) The world would not be left to the devil and his powers of darkness. Christ was about to spoil them of their dominion by His redeeming work.
c) By the faith of Christ, confirmed by His death and resurrection, through His blood shed for the remission of sins, thousands of believing souls obtain deliverance from the dominion of Satan, who held them as criminals bound for judgment.
2. “Now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”
a) There can be no doubt that Satan is here meant. Up to the time of our Lord’s redeeming work, the entire world in a certain sense was under his dominion. (Eph. 2:1-3)
b) When Christ came and died for sinners Satan’s usurped power was broken, and he received a deadly blow. (Col. 2:15) It is to this victory that our Lord clearly refers.
c) Of course He did not mean that Satan would be “cast out” of the world entirely, and no more tempt it. That will be done at the Second Advent.
C. OUR LORD DECLARED THAT BY HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS SOULS WOULD BE CONVERTED FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD. (VERSES 32, 33)
1. This means that Satan shall be cast out of every soul that is drawn to Christ worldwide.
a) The great design of our Lord Jesus was to draw all men to Him, not of the Jews only, but also them that were afar off, for He was to be the “desire of all nations.” (Hag. 2:7), and “to Him shall the gathering of the people be.”
b) It is Christ that draws the hearts of men to Himself.
(1) None can come, or will come except they be drawn. (John 6:44)
(2) Christ does not drive, but “draws with the cords of a man.” (Hos. 11:4; Jer. 31:3)
2. It is by Christ’s sacrificial atoning death on the cross that men are drawn to Christ. (Verse 33)
a) John adds this explanatory note: “This he said signifying what death He should die.”
b) It is by this lifting up that men are drawn.
c) It is not, as some have said, that by lifting up Christ in our preaching men are drawn to Him.
d) Although we do strive to exalt Christ in our preaching, it must be Christ crucified that wins the heart of the sinner.
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