John 12:31

DISCOURSE: 1674
THE EFFECTS OF CHRIST’S DEATH

John 12:31; John 12:32. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

INCONCEIVABLY arduous was the work which Christ had undertaken: yet amidst his heaviest trials his confidence never for a moment forsook him. He had just complained of the insupportable weight of his mental agonies; yet not so complained, but that he had desired his heavenly Father to glorify his own name, whatever sufferings he might have to endure for that end. For the satisfaction of those who would otherwise have drawn wrong conclusions from those sufferings, the Father answered him by a voice like thunder, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again:” and immediately Jesus, with his wonted calmness, resumed his discourse respecting the nature and necessity of his approaching death, and confidently predicted,

I. The issue of his conflicts—

The world and Satan were his great adversaries: and though by his death they would appear victorious over him, yet he declared that by his death,

1. The world would be judged—

[What we are to understand by “the judgment of this world,” we cannot absolutely determine: but we apprehend the import of that expression to be, that his death would be the means of exhibiting in the clearest view, first, the wickedness, and next, the desert of the ungodly world.

Who would have conceived the wickedness of the world to be so great as it really is? Who would have conceived, that, if God himself should become incarnate, and sojourn in a familiar manner upon earth, and cause the light of his perfections to shine around him, and diffuse innumerable blessings by the unbounded exercise of omnipotence and love, his creatures should rise up against him, and put him to death? Who would conceive too, that this should be done, not by ignorant savages, but by the people who had enjoyed the light of revelation, heard his gracious instructions, beheld his bright example, and received the benefit of his miraculous exertions: yea, that it should be done too, not by the inconsiderate vulgar, but by the rulers themselves, and by the priests and ministers of God’s sanctuary? This shews what human nature itself is, even under the greatest possible advantages: and humiliating is the picture which it exhibits to us.

But the desert also of the world is manifested to us in the death of Christ: for Christ suffered the penalty due to sin: “to redeem us from the curse of the law, he became a curse;” and all the misery that he endured both in body and soul as our surety and substitute, was our deserved portion. He indeed, by reason of his office, could endure it but for a time: but the soul that perishes in sin, must endure it to all eternity. Death, which to him was the period of his release, will be to the condemned soul the commencement of its sorrows, of sorrows that shall endure to all eternity. The hidings of God’s face and the sense of his wrath will be co-existent with the soul itself.]

2. The prince thereof would be cast out—

[Satan is called the prince, and the god, of this world, because he exercises an universal government over men who are his willing subjects [Note: Ephesians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Timothy 2:26.]. That which has given him this power is sin: on account of sin, God has delivered men into his hands as their jailor and their executioner. But Jesus Christ has “finished transgression and made an end of sin, and brought in everlasting righteousness;” and has thus rescued from the hands of Satan a countless multitude, who shall be eternal monuments of his electing love and his redeeming power. Whilst yet he hanged on the cross, the Lord Jesus “bruised the serpent’s head [Note: Genesis 3:15.];” yea, “he spoiled principalities and powers, triumphing over them openly upon the cross [Note: Colossians 2:15.].” At that moment did “Satan fall from heaven as lightning:” and though he still retains a sway over the children of disobedience, yet he is forced continually to give up his vassals to the Lord Jesus, and is made to flee from those [Note: James 4:7.] whom he lately “led captive at his will.” Moreover, the time is shortly coming, (yea, in the Divine purpose it was, as it were, then present,) when he shall be bound in chains of everlasting darkness, and be cast into that “lake of fire” which has from the beginning been “prepared for him and for his angels.”]

Next, our Lord predicts,

II.

The triumphs of his grace—

By being “lifted up from the earth” was meant, his crucifixion. The expression refers to the lifting up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, which was a type and emblem of the death of Christ [Note: Compare Numbers 21:8. with John 3:14.]. The Evangelist himself tells us, that our Lord intended to intimate the peculiar kind of death which he was to suffer: and the people themselves understood him as speaking of his removal from them by death [Note: ver. 33, 34.]. Nor did his words convey the idea of uncertainty, which seems intimated in our translation: the event was fixed in the Divine counsels from all eternity; and he spoke of it as certainly to be accomplished [Note: ἐὰν should be “when,” and not “if.”].

Here then are two things to be noted;

1. The event predicted—

[Christ will “draw all men to himself:” He is that “Shiloh, to whom the gathering of the people should be;” and we see on the day of Pentecost the commencement of this great and glorious work. Would we understand precisely the import of the expression, there we behold it exemplified in the clearest view — — — We must not indeed imagine that every individual of mankind will be drawn to Christ; for in every age many have rejected him: but some of all nations, professions, and characters, shall be drawn to him; and at last they shall be found a multitude that no man can number [Note: Daniel 7:13.] — — —]

2. The manner in which it shall be accomplished—

[Men are not drawn to him like stocks and stones, but in a way consistent with the perfect exercise of their own free will. The power indeed is Christ’s; and it is exerted with effect: but it is made effectual,
First, by shewing men their need of him. The eyes of all the wounded Israelites were drawn to the brazen serpent in the wilderness: they felt that they were dying of their wounds; they knew that no human efforts could heal them; and they were assured that a sight of that brazen serpent would effect their cure. This attraction was sufficient: they looked and were healed. Thus the jailor saw his own perishing condition, and asked, “What shall I do to be saved?” and was glad to embrace the Saviour proposed to him [Note: Acts 16:30.]. This is universally the first operation of Christ’s victorious grace.

Next, he draws men by the attractive influences of his grace. Because men know not how the Holy Spirit works upon the souls of men, they are ready to doubt, or even deny, his operations. But who doubts the agency of the wind? yet no man knows whence it comes, or whither it goes. It is visible in its effects, and therefore its operation is acknowledged, notwithstanding it is involved in the deepest mystery. Why then should the operation of the Holy Spirit be doubted, merely because the mode of his agency is not understood [Note: John 3:8.]? Were it possible to question the evidence of our senses, we should deny the virtue of the loadstone, and represent any one as weak or wicked who should profess to believe it. But we behold its effects; and our incredulity is vanquished. So then must we confess the agency of the Holy Spirit upon the souls of men, though we cannot comprehend every thing respecting it. Our Lord has told us, that “no man can come unto him, except the Father draw him [Note: John 6:44.]:” and the Psalmist affirms, that God makes us “willing in the day of his power [Note: Psalms 110:3.].” It is sufficient for us to know, that he draws us rationally, “with the cords of a man, and with the bands of love.”

Lastly, he draws men by discovering to them the wonders of his love. Let but a glimpse of his incomprehensible love be seen, and every thing in the whole creation will be darkened: just as a view of the meridian sun renders every other object invisible. Paul tells us, that “the love of Christ constrained him:” it carried him away like a mighty torrent: nor will the soul of any man who feels it, be either able or desirous to withstand its influence. As well might the angels in heaven be averse to serve their God, as the man that has tasted of redeeming love.

In this way then does the grace of Christ prevail; and in this way shall it triumph to the ends of the earth.]

Application—
1.

Seek to experience the attractions of his grace—

[Nothing under heaven is so desirable as this — — — Say then, with the Church of old, “ Draw me, and I will run after thee [Note: Song of Solomon 1:4.]” — — —]

2. Fear not the counteracting influence of men or devils—

[Men may oppose you, and vaunt themselves against you: but they are already “judged” by the word of God; and, if they repent not, they shall be judged by the same at the tribunal of their God. If they do not themselves become such despised creatures as they esteem you to be, they will ere long “awake to shame and everlasting contempt.”
Satan too may harass you: but he is a vanquished enemy: yea, he too “is judged [Note: John 16:11.]:” and though, “as a roaring lion, he seeketh to devour you,” you are provided with armour, whereby you may withstand him [Note: Ephesians 6:11.]: and you have the promise of God, that “he shall be shortly bruised under your feet [Note: Romans 16:20.]” — — —]