The Drawing Power of Jesus (John 12:32)
Sermon Summary
Pastor David Yan
6 August 2023
Jesus spoke prophetically saying if he was lifted up from the earth he would draw all peoples to himself. He was speaking of his death. The death of Jesus has unparalleled drawing power.
Jesus spoke this word when told some Greeks were seeking him. This was the cue for him to die. He had an intimate sense of timing. The Gentiles were coming; his crucifixion was coming.
The coming of Gentiles for salvation was conditional upon Jesus' crucifixion. He said, "If I am lifted up." If Jesus does not die all coming to him is vain. That he did die means the way of reconciliation with God is possible.
The lifting up of Jesus demonstrates divine use of human freedom. Crucifixion was the Roman way of execution. The Lord uses the free actions of humans to achieve his purposes. He uses second causes.
The lifting up of Jesus was dependent on the work of the Holy Spirit for only the Spirit can draw people to Jesus. A body on a cross has no power but this body, the body of Jesus, had drawing power— the power of the Holy Spirit to bring people to Jesus.
Note that the Spirit directs attention to one person and one person only—Jesus. Jesus himself drew attention to this when he said, "And I, if I...". By repeating “I” twice, Jesus asserts that he, and he alone, if lifted up, will draw all peoples to himself. No other lifting up would draw people to God.
The Father is glorified in the lifting up of Jesus. First, he is glorified in mercifully planning salvation through Jesus. Secondly, he is glorified in accomplishing salvation through Jesus.
The death of Jesus would draw all peoples to himself. This means his substitutionary death is not only for Jews but for Gentiles also. The death of Jesus for sinners is freely offered to all peoples.
Since Jesus is offered to you, come to him now. He draws you into his death so with Paul you can say, "I have been crucified with Christ…; it is no longer I who live…” (Galatians 2:20).
He draws you into his resurrection so you understand what Paul means when he wrote: “If then you were raised with Christ…set your mind on things above…” (Colossians 3:1,2).
All praise to God who through the death of Jesus and by the work of the Holy Spirit draws people to Jesus, the Saviour of the world. You become a new person when you are drawn to Jesus Christ.